UN General Assembly
2016

“The strength and security of cities are based on two things — the material from which houses are built and the laws that regulate relations.” A city is destroyed every time one of these two things is lacking. Owing to double standards and the lack of respect for international law, our international order is slowly devolving into global chaos and disorder. In our quarter of a century of independence, the Republic of Macedonia has been well and truly able to feel that cruel reality. On our path towards international recognition and integration, we have faced many blockages and suffered much injury. We have even had to deal with the denial of our right, as Macedonian citizens, to self-identification, without which there is no human integrity or dignity. Owing to that problem, even today, we are still blocked in our efforts to join international organizations, such as NATO and the European Union. For five years now, the Republic of Macedonia has been waiting for the international community to observe and respect the judgment of the International Court of Justice.