(A column by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung )

Probably many Germans had not heard much about Macedonia before the match to remember by the Macedonian men’s handball team at the recent European Handball Championship. The handball stars demonstrated that equality and justice apply to all and that success depends solely on one’s own effort. In another field, unfortunately, the rules that apply to others do not apply to us: Macedonia met all criteria for NATO membership and the Alliance confirmed it at the Summit in Bucharest in 2008. However, Macedonia is not allowed to be part of it. It is de facto a member of NATO and de jure it is not.

The membership is a strategic government commitment. Over 85 percent of the people of Macedonia support the integration. The Macedonian peacekeeping forces in Iraq and Afghanistan share with their allies the challenges threatening freedom. Half of the budget of the Macedonian defense goes to Macedonia’s contribution in Afghanistan. Our peacekeepers are to be credited for the safety of the base in Kandahar and have been decorated for their operations.