Tuesday, 24 April 2018, Tallinn
Addrsss of the President Xhaferi at the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments
Session Ii: European Security and Defence
Distinguished Chairman,
Distinguished colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen
In the past years the security situation in Europe and beyond is a serious challenge for the European Union as well as for the aspirant states. Unfortunately, the war conflicts which are relatively close to Europe, especially to us living in the region of Western Balkan, are a daily challenge, both for the security bodies and the state institutions in general. Terrorism, organized crime, the refugee crisis are only a few daily security challenges we are faced with as states.
All these developments and situations influence the public opinion, whose peace and stability jeopardized and our primer interest direct representatives of the citizens is to ensure the peace and stability, since only regions without conflicts can be prosperous and attractive.
Distinguished friends,
Peace and stability undoubtedly mean cooperation between the states in the security areas, but also that the collective defence association such as NATO are of outmost importance. The Republic of Macedonia determined its full-fledged membership in NATO as its strategic goal since its independence, and this is highly supported by the citizens. Even though formally and de jure we are not members of NATO yet, I would remind that the members of our security forces we contribute in the peacekeeping missions in the framework of our possibilities, and sometimes beyond our possibilities.
We actively participate in the security of our Continent. I would provide one of the freshest examples on the aforementioned: at the border with the neighbour Greece, Slovenian, Slovakian and Czech police forces together with the Macedonian police forces control this part of the Balkan Route
Ladies and gentlemen,
The security challenges have negative influence on the on the persistence of the European principles and values. Prejudice, stereotypes, intolerance, hate towards are more and more evident.
That is why I think that as we have been organized and worked on the security challenges, we should pay attention to these negative developments, which at the moment are ephemeral and not widely accept by the public.
Nevertheless, our obligation is to build healthy societies, societies where the future generations will not to be brought up with prejudice, intolerance or stereotypes towards the other, the different one; on the contrary generations that are to be brought up with embedded European values and standards which the founding fathers of United Europe spoke of.
Thank you.