The reform at the European Court for Human Rights, multiculturalism in Europe, and minority rights are some of the key issues that Macedonia is going to table during its 6-month presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Following the recent political consultations in Paris, attended also by Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Antonio Milososki, Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, “Macedonia is ready for the presidency, although there still some details left to be sorted out.”

“We have things to share with the others at the Council of Europe, things of national and regional concern. We are going to focus on crucial matters,” says Sanja Zografska Krsteska, presidency coordinator.

Mr. Jagland has recently told Dnevnik that he is convinced Macedonia is ready for the challenge. Diplomats in Skopje believe that Macedonia has a chance to present itself in a good light, as Serbia and Slovenia did before, considering that the next opportunity to chair the Council will present itself in over 20 years.

Macedonia has never before chaired a big and important multilateral forum, such as the Council of Europe, which has 47 member countries and is a Pan-European organization. Officials in Strasbourg even stress that it is “a pure European organization and a unique system for protection of human rights,” adding that the USA and Canada, for example, are members of the OSCE.

“Macedonia is a small country, but is ready for the great challenge,” Zografska told Dnevnik.