Thursday, 10 March 2011
MEETING OF THE CHAIRS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS FOR COOPERATION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA AND THE STATE OF ISRAEL
In the framework of the official visit of the Republic of Macedonia, on the occasion of the opening of the Memorial Centre of the Holocaust of the Jews from the Republic of Macedonia, the Parliamentary Group of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia for Cooperation with the State of Israel had a meeting with Ms. Lia Shemtov, Chair of the Friendship Group Israel- Macedonia in the Knesset of the State of Israel.
Mr. Pavle Trajanov, Chair of the Parliamentary Group of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia for Cooperation with the State of Israel and the members of the Group, Mr. Aleksandar Spasenovski and Ms. Liljana Poovska attended this meeting. Mr. Trajanov welcomed the guests in the Republic of Macedonia and wished them pleasant stay in this friendly country. He underlined that in accordance with the official program, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia granted 17 million Euros from the Budget of the Republic of Macedonia for the Memorial Centre of the Holocaust, in this way the Republic of Macedonia shows deep sympathy and respect for the suffering of over 7000 Jews co-citizens in the camps during the Second World War.
In the same time this Museum will be an eternal monument and sanctuary for the people of Israel and will remind each visitor of the crimes of a regime over an innocent nation, only because of their culture and identity.
The hosts informed the gusts that the Republic of Macedonia has adopted the Law on Denationalization, which contains 4 special provisions which refer to the property of Jews in the Republic of Macedonia who do not have legal heirs. The law has a special provision on repatriation of the properties of Jews who do not have legal heirs. In April 2002 the Decision Establishing a Holocaust Fund for the Jews in the Republic of Macedonia was adopted by the Government. This Fund aims to manage these taken properties of the individuals without legal heirs. The Republic of Macedonia is one of the rare countries in the world which paid due respect on the issue of the property of the Jewish community and its members. Memorial Centre of the Holocaust of the Jews from the Republic of Macedonia is the fourth centre of this kind, built after the Centres in Jerusalem, Washington and Berlin.
The participants shared the conclusions that both countries suffered a lot through the history because of war conflicts and were often included in a war by a third county.
The guests were informed that, according to the data, about 30 Jewish families live in the Republic of Macedonia organised in the Jewish Community in Skopje, where the Macedonia- Israel Friendship Union is established.
The Participants also discussed the overall bilateral relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the State of Israel which are broadening in the past two years and the realisation of the highest level visits.
Also, the participants expressed conviction that the parliamentary cooperation should continue, since it will contribute for better and more constructive cooperation on bilateral level.
In the same time, the participants are convinced that economic diplomacy should be strengthened, considering the potentials and possibilities of both sides. There is a common interest on both sides in the area of technology and exchange of ideas in the area of infrastructure, tourism and telecommunications. In the area of economic cooperation, the successful few years’ long work of the Macedonian- Israeli Chamber should be mentioned.
During the meeting, both sides expressed hope that the relations between the two states will be promoted in all areas, referring particularly to the parliamentary relations on the level of Parliamentary Groups for Cooperation.