Bekim Sali on the 25th Anniversary of the Ohrid Agreement: Interethnic Partnership Paves the Way for a European Future

A ceremonial session was held today at the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia to mark the 25th anniversary of the Ohrid Framework Agreement.

During the session, First Deputy Prime Minister Bekim Sali said the anniversary serves not only to recall the past, but also to assess the responsibilities institutions have toward the country’s future.

Sali said the Ohrid Agreement ended the 2001 conflict and established a new way of organizing and running the state. According to him, it laid the foundations for stability through cooperation among communities, civic equality and equitable representation.

“Free elections are not the only indicator of democracy. Democracy is also measured by the ability of institutions to ensure inclusion, equitable representation, dialogue and trust among citizens,” Minister Sali said.

The First Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the Ohrid Framework Agreement is not merely a document belonging to history. He described it as an active part of the constitutional order and a political roadmap for state institutions. In this context, Sali mentioned the Government’s initiative for a Law on Equitable and Adequate Representation, which has been submitted to Parliament for adoption.

According to him, developments over the past 25 years have shown that dialogue, communication, compromise and respect for agreements are the foundations on which stability is built.

“Dialogue does not mean abandoning principles. On the contrary, it is the most democratic way to defend them,” Sali said, calling for continued cooperation and partnership among communities.

In his address, he described the protection of interethnic partnership as a strategic interest for the Republic of North Macedonia. Minister Sali said the success of a multiethnic state depends on every community feeling that it is equally represented in institutions and shares responsibility for the country’s future.

The First Deputy Prime Minister also linked the spirit of the Ohrid Agreement to the path toward European integration. He said the European principle of “United in Diversity” is consistent with the philosophy of the agreement, which established peace on the basis of respect for and acceptance of differences.

In conclusion, Sali said today’s generation is responsible not only for safeguarding the Ohrid Agreement as a historic achievement. According to him, it must be further advanced through more efficient institutions, greater trust among communities and the creation of a state that meets high European standards.

“Let this anniversary not remain merely a reminder of our achievements, but also serve as a commitment to what we must build in the future,” Minister Sali concluded./INA/