September 8, Independence Day, was celebrated with many events. Over a thousand participants took part in the massive celebration at which a military parade took place for the first time. Parliament held a meeting on Wednesday at which President Gjorge Ivanov said every independent country had to take its decisions bravely and responsibly.  One part of the celebration was the ceremony of transferring the Declaration of Macedonia’s Independence from the Parliament to the Museum of the Macedonian Revolution.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton congratulated Macedonia on its Independence Day and said the USA was a friend and partner of Macedonia. Greetings also came from French President Nicola Sarkozy, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the Japanese Emperor, as well as leaders of Sweden, Romania and Hungary.