President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova addressed the citizens, on the occasion of the tragedy that happened early this morning in Kocani.
Below is the integral text of the address of President Siljanovska-Davkova.
Dear fellow citizens,
We are all in shock, and, personally, I am in shock too: as a mother, as a person, as a president. I still cannot believe that the terrible tragedy in Kocani is a reality.
I cannot choose words to express my condolences to the parents and loved ones of the victims. Your immense pain is mine pain too.
This morning I visited the hospitals. Parents of the injured stood there, with hope and trust in the medical staff. I also believe that they will do not only the possible, but also the impossible to help their loved ones.
I know and feel that we are not alone, because not only our neighbors, but also more distant countries immediately made their voices heard.
The most seriously injured are being transported to specialized clinical hospitals in Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Turkey to receive top-notch medical care and intervention. Good people from the entire region, Europe and the world are with us. We will never forget this act of kindness. We will be eternally grateful to them.
Dear and beloved citizens,
I beg you, guided by humanity and empathy, to unite in pain, aware that death and illness touch us all equally, regardless of any affiliation.
This is not the time for divisions and confrontations, especially when it comes to young people, whose lives were lost in an instant due to arbitrariness, improvisation and manipulation.
No business or activity should function without standards and rules.
This time, no one responsible should escape law, justice and punishment!
Let us not desecrate the innocent sacrifice of the deceased, let us unite our forces around the survivors. Let us not allow anyone to jeopardize the lives of innocent people again.
Let us never again sacrifice the standards and safety of people for the profit and wealth of individuals.
Nothing is more valuable than human life, especially the lives of young people.
Thank you.
