site.btaIn Skopje, President Siljanovska Takes Oath of Office in Parliament, Refers to Country by Name of "Republic of Macedonia"
Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the newly elected President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Sunday took an oath of office in Parliament in Skopje.
Jovan Mitreski, President of the Assembly of North Macedonia, read out the beginning of the oath, saying: "I vow to carry out responsibly my duty as President of the Republic of North Macedonia". Speaking after him, she vowed to carry out responsibly her duty as "President of the Republic of Macedonia".
During her election campaign, VMRO-DPMNE candidate Siljanovska said she would not use the name "North Macedonia" set in the Prespa Agreement of 2018 with Greece. The name change was part of the deal for Skopje's NATO membership.
At the ceremony attended by diplomats, by Prime Minister Talat Xhaferi, ministers, former President Gjorge Ivanov nominated by VMRO-DPMNE, representatives of the judiciary, the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and the heads of the religious communities, among others, Siljanovska said that her words were "in a battle with emotions" because she did not believe that she would be elected. The only person who claimed that it would happen was VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski, she said.
Siljanovska said she would be the President of all citizens and would not discriminate by ethnicity, religion, gender or anything.
Much of her speech was addressed to women, who "know how to take care of everyone else, not just themselves" and should have a stronger presence in politics, although society in the Balkans is patriarchal. Strong women can solve problems differently, she said.
Siljanovska said that she would try to work with the new parliament to convince it that the presidential veto is often unnecessary; that competence is the criterion that will guide her when she names the President's representatives on various councils; and that "the rule of law is what can make this country European."
After the inauguration, Siljanovska took over from outgoing President Stevo Pendarovski in a ceremony with the highest state and military honours.
/DD/
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