TODAY is the National Day of Macedonia. It has been a national holiday since 1991, when a referendum for independence took place. The Republic of Macedonia gained its independence from Yugoslavia, where it was a federal state, and became a sovereign parliamentary democracy.

Macedonia is a landlocked country on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Serbia to the north, Albania to the west, Kosovo to the northwest, Greece to the south, and Bulgaria to the east. Skopje is the capital.

Since independence in 1991, Macedonia has experienced considerable economic growth due to the development of an open economy, with trade accounting for more than 90 percent of the gross domestic product in recent years. The government has been successful in its efforts to combat inflation, with an inflation rate of only 3 percent in 2006 and 2 percent in 2007 and has implemented policies focused on attracting foreign investment and promoting the development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The government has introduced a flat tax system with the intention of making the country more attractive to foreign investment.

Textiles represent the most significant sector for trade, accounting for more than half of total exports. Other important exports include iron, steel, wine, and vegetables.

The country is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, La Francophonie, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In March, 2009, the European Parliament expressed support for Macedonia’s European Union (EU) candidacy and asked the EU Commission to grant the country a date for the start of accession talks by the end of 2009. The parliament also recommended a speedy lifting of the visa regime for Macedonian citizens.

We congratulate the people and government of Macedonia led by Their Excellencies, President Gjorge Ivanov and Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, on the occasion of its National Day. We wish them all the best and success in all their endeavors.