UN General Assembly
2014

Macedonian identity, thereby violating the fundamental principles of the European Union in order to meet conditions for membership in it. That would force my country to violate a rule and betray the global family. In 2008 at the NATO Summit in Bucharest, basing its position on international law, my country refused to change the identity of the Macedonian people as a precondition for its already well-deserved membership in NATO. On 17 November 2008, we launched proceedings against our southern neighbour under the auspices of the International Court of Justice, again acting on the basis of international law. On 5 December 2011, on the basis of international law, the International Court of Justice ruled that the obstruction of the Republic of Macedonia’s integration in NATO was illegal and that international commitments had been violated. For years my country has tolerated unprincipled and illegal blockades, and we have done so because of international law — because we believe that only international law can provide predictability and certainty on behalf of world order. By our example we have demonstrated in principle