President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, on the occasion of May 23 – National Day of the Vlachs, sent a congratulation message to the members of the Vlach community.
Dear fellow citizens,
Let me congratulate you on May 23 –National Day of the Vlachs. On this holiday, we are reminded to accept the truth that the Vlachs are a special people, with their own language, authentic culture and many centuries of existence in these areas.
Living confined to a few Balkan states, the Vlachs are said to be a people with many homelands. And yet, only in our common Macedonian homeland, the Vlachs are constitutionally recognized and socially valued. It is due to the Macedonian tradition of coexistence and respect for the dignity of diversity, but also to the contribution of the Vlachs in the struggle for a free Macedonian state. 80 years ago, the Vlachs participated equally in the formation of ASNOM Macedonia.
Despite the challenges in education, the representatives of the Vlach community continuously contribute in every social sphere. Therefore, the state must remove the last obstacles for our fellow citizens, the Vlachs, to be able to exercise the basic human right to education without any problems.
Language is the strongest link between ancestors and descendants, which transmits the unique experience and unique perception that people have of reality. Hence, the Vlach language is part not only of the Macedonian, but also of the European cultural wealth. Therefore, decisive action is needed to preserve and promote the Vlach language, identity and culture, especially in the educational system and its use in private and public life, in the spirit of the European values.
With such assurance, I congratulate all the members of the Vlach community on the great holiday – May 23!
Gordana Siljanovska Davkova
