President Stevo Pendarovski, on the occasion of September 8, Independence Day, decorated Stojan Andov, first president of the first multi-party Assembly and the members of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia in the mandate period from 1990 to 1994 term with the Order “September 8”.
Stojan Andov is awarded the Order “September 8” for his political activity as the first President of the first multi-party Assembly, leaving an indelible mark in the process of building the Macedonian parliamentary democracy, as well as his significant contribution to the adoption of necessary state-building acts and documents which clearly paved the path for the creation of an independent and sovereign state.
The Members of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia in the mandate period from 1990 to 1994 are awarded the Order “September 8” for the adoption of state-building acts and documents that clearly expressed the centuries-old desire of the Macedonian people and other ethnicities to build an independent state, respecting all citizens regardless of ethnicity or religion, as well as the election of the first president and the first government, the announcement of a referendum on independence and the adoption of the first constitution, anthem and flag, which laid the foundations of an independent and sovereign Macedonian state.
The Order “September 8”, on behalf of the MPs in the mandate period from 1990 to 1994, was received by Nikola Stojanovski, the first Chairman of the Constitutive Session of the first multi-party Assembly, and Fadil Zendeli, Vice-Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, at the ceremony in the President’s Cabinet.
Due to the situation with the Covid-19 pandemic, having in mind his age, the Order was handed over to Stojan Andov by President Pendarovski in his home, and at today’s ceremony a video material from this act was presented.
In his address at the ceremony, President Pendarovski said that with the adoption of the Constitution, the introduction of the Denar as a national currency, the adoption of several important systemic laws, the unanimous decision on our country’s membership in NATO and the European Union, the first multi-party parliamentary composition not only laid the foundations for the creation of a new legal, political and economic system, but also began the process of democratic consolidation of the young state.
“I have not the slightest intention to idealize those early transition years. However, all the mistakes and omissions that are normal for any young democracy cannot diminish the importance of your generation of politicians and MPs. Therefore, this great jubilee that we are all proud of today especially belongs to you and your colleagues from the parliamentary benches who are no longer among us. Much more than many others, you are credited with having an independent state. Today we are gathered here, on behalf of all Macedonian citizens, to express our sincere and deep gratitude and appreciation to you”, President Pendarovski said.
“I believe that apart from the Order “September 8”, we can express our gratitude to the first parliamentary composition in a much more substantial way. And that is, if we follow your example and through political and civil reconciliation, we can again achieve unity on the most important issues for the future of the Republic of North Macedonia. This is necessary in order to show political maturity that befits a NATO member state, which is waiting for a date to start negotiations for membership in the European Union. But, more importantly, this from us, the current generation of politicians, is expected by the Macedonian citizens whose interests we certainly do not work for if in the political arena, our priority is only our personal and party, instead of national and state interests”, President Pendarovski said at the ceremony held in the Cabinet of the President.
