Audience with the president of Macedonia

Vatican City, 31 October 2015 (VIS) – This morning the Holy Father Francis received in audience in the Vatican Apostolic Palace His Excellency Mr. Gjorge Ivanov, president of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States.

During the discussions, which took place in a cordial atmosphere, the Parties expressed their satisfaction at the existing good bilateral relations, and their hope for the realisation of the country’s aspirations and increasing efforts to join the European Union.

Attention then turned to various themes of international politics in the current global context, also in relation to persistent difficulties of an economic and social nature, and the need for joint efforts to offer assistance to the great number of refugees arriving in the region.

Finally, the Parties recognised the importance of further encouraging the co-existence of and dialogue between the various ethnic and religious groups in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.