Double standards of the liberal order have denied us our identity right, but also the right for prosperity, said macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov in his address at the 5. Global Baku Forum on Thursday.
Ivanov stressed that Macedonia's independence started by celebrating political liberalism and order, while the idea for freedom had the power to transform the society, the President's Office said in a press release.
"Macedonia became the region's leader of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, but was still faced with a big paradox", he added.
According to him, Macedonia is an example of a collapse of the liberal order following World War II.
"Macedonia is the only country in the UN that has no right of its identity. It is denied the right for self-identification, the fundamental right of every individual and country in the international order. Macedonia is also stripped of its right for prosperity through the hindering of its NATO and EU integration. This shows the hypocrisy of this international order by its double standards", stressed Ivanov.
He said the order is in crisis, not the idea of freedom, while asking if this instability is just a passing episode or a defining moment in global history.
"In times of crisis there are only two ideas that can mobilize people - hope and fear. Today, hope is fading, thus giving rise to fear", emphasized Ivanov.
групна_фотографија_иванов_во_баку.jpg
Referring to Europe, he said its future should be seen as a period of transformation and preparation for the challenges of the third millennium.
"Today, when left and right populism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, exclusion, borders emerge on the European political stage, a new idea should be offered. This is a time of Europe's recreation, its metamorphosis", underlined President Ivanov.
During the visit, Ivanov is scheduled to meet with host, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Albanian counterpart Bujar Nishani.
The global forum, organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre, includes over 100 current and former heads of state, prime ministers and ministers, diplomats, politicians, professors etc. It focuses on Europe's future, China's role in international relations, Russia-West relations, challenges related to contemporary terrorism, future of trans-Atlantic relations, alliance between the West and Muslim states etc.
