North Macedonia deserves to be member of EU
Jan Lipavský, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and H.E. Mr. Emil Krsteski, Ambassador of North Macedonia
Text: Martina Hošková and M.Zisso; Photo: Archive
Can you tell us about yourself?
During my childhood, I was surrounded by different types of newspapers, as well as magazines, books, and encyclopedias. I lived in the centre of Skopje in a building where many journalists, editors, directors, and diplomats lived.
My father was the editor of Kultura, a famous Macedonian Publishing House, and later on, of the Lexicographic Institute Miroslav Krleža in Zagreb. These circumstances seemed to predetermine my profession as a journalist, and I have been professionally engaged in writing, foreign policy, and international relations throughout almost my entire career. I have been writing and publishing short stories and poems since elementary school. In Skopje, I studied journalism at the Faculty of Law of St. Cyril and Methodius, the State University, where I received a Master’s Degree in International Law and International Relations, as well as a Doctorate in Political Science (international politics).
I worked as a journalist and editor for Macedonian Television, the daily newspaper Nova Makedonija, and the political weekly PULS, which I co-founded. I was a correspondent for TANJUG, and later served as a State Advisor for Foreign Policy and International Cooperation in the Cabinet of the President of the Macedonian Assembly for twelve years. I was the Director of the State Archives for nearly five years, and, since December 2023, I have been appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic.
What made you become an ambassador?
All my work experience in foreign policy, filled with many trips and following international events, as well as my education and the six books I have written on international relations, were sufficient signposts leading me to the door that opens the horizon of diplomacy.
You have been in the Czech Republic for over eight months. Can you share some of your impressions?
I was fortunate that just two weeks after I arrived in Prague on February 15th, I presented my Credentials to the Czech President, Petr Pavel, and soon after had an official meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Lipavský. The presentation of the Letters of Credentials at the Presidential Palace was conducted with the highest honours and a perfectly organized ceremony, during which the Macedonian flag flew on the roof of the Palace, the military band played the Macedonian anthem at the entrance, and I passed and greeted the military guard before entering to meet President Pavel. This solemn moment and the almost half-hour conversation with President Petr Pavel will remain deeply engraved in my memory.
Do you manage to enjoy Prague during your free time as well?
In Skopje, I usually play tennis two or three times a week, ride my bike in the morning, paint, write short stories, listen to good music… I find time for everything.
Unfortunately, due to my significant responsibilities as an Ambassador, I haven’t been able to maintain these activities in Prague. Usually, during the weekends, I am in contact with my son who lives and works in Berlin with his wife and my granddaughter, and with my daughter in Skopje. I also read non-fiction and fiction, take walks with my spouse Ana in the parks in and around Prague, and prepare lunch. I’m learning Czech. I don’t watch TV at all, except for parts of the world hockey championship held in Prague and Ostrava, and, of course, tennis sometimes.
Does being an ambassador fit your lifestyle?
I openly say that I perform this position with pleasure and dedication because, from the very beginning of my career, I have had the opportunity to constantly engage with politicians and diplomats and successfully prepare and publish analyses of international relations. It’s kind of second nature to me, and I do it with passion.
Which countries did you work in before your current post?
As a journalist-editor and state advisor in our Assembly, I travelled extensively. I also had several study visits, lasting a few months each, at institutions such as the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the Institute for European and International Studies in Luxembourg, Harvard University in Boston, the NATO Assembly in Brussels, the Marshall Center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and twice in the USA at the invitation of the State Department, obtain a Diploma as the Ambassador of Good Will of Arkansas in the world, sing by President Bill Clinton. I was also a guest of the British Consul in London, as well as the Inter Nations of Germany. While working in the Cabinet of the President of the Assembly, I was an official guest of the Italian, Austrian, Swiss, and Swedish Parliaments.
However, my greatest diplomatic experience was the four-year following of the sessions of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, and the three-year stay in New York, where I collaborated with the International Peace Institute and completed my doctoral dissertation on American foreign policy at the beginning of the 21st century, the Mediterranean, and the Arab Spring.
From right: President Petr Pavel and H.E. Mr. Emil Krsteski, Ambassador of North Macedonia
Have you ever dealt with any weird situations in your professional life?
While I was an Adviser on Foreign Policy, among other things, I wrote speeches for the President of the Parliament. Once, I had to write a speech for an International conference in which the President was supposed to participate and address, unplanned. I had less than 24 hours to prepare, and the topic was quite complex. I started working in the Cabinet but took the diskette home to continue writing the speech in the afternoon. At one point late in the evening, I pressed a button on the computer, and the entire text disappeared. I felt my blood run cold. I immediately called my son, who was good with computers, for help and started shouting in a panic: “My career is going to fail, I have to find the text, I don’t have time to start from the beginning, the text should be ready early in the morning.” I repeated this several times while my son worked on the keyboard. For those fifteen minutes, until my son recovered the text, I was in a real panic and thought my career was in jeopardy. But, in the end, everything turned out well.
North Macedonia is a NATO member and wants to join the EU. Do you feel there is strong support for your country on that path?
Many EU member states support the enlargement of the Union to include the countries of the Western Balkans. The Czech Republic firmly, openly, and unreservedly supports us on our path to EU integration, as it did with our NATO membership. This was particularly confirmed during its presidency of the Union in the second half of 2022, when North Macedonia received substantial help from the Czech Republic in protecting our southern border from the wave of migration and signing the agreement with FRONTEX, the first agreement signed with the EU in the Macedonian language.
This year, the Czech Republic also marked its 20th anniversary of joining the EU, during which President Petr Pavel emphasized the need for the EU to continue the process of enlargement, help Ukraine and Georgia, and not forget the countries of the Western Balkans. The Czech Republic and some other countries are against setting bilateral issues and problems as conditions for obtaining a date to start negotiations with the EU.
Can you evaluate the current status of Czechia-North Macedonia relations in more detail?
I can state with great pleasure that we have excellent and friendly relations with the Czech Republic on a political, economic, and cultural level. It significantly facilitates the work of an Ambassador when there are no open and disputed issues with the host country. Instead, there is understanding and cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
I became even more convinced of this last fall during my preparation for the defence of theses and assuming the duties of Ambassador in Prague, when I visited and spoke with the highest representatives – or those responsible for international cooperation – in all our ministries.
The Czech Republic is a respected and influential country in the international community, both in international organizations and within its political-security, economic, and cultural influence in Europe. Its role in NATO’s eastern wing is significant, especially after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the condemnation of Russian aggression against this country.
It was one of the first countries, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, to clearly define its strategic goals – membership in NATO and the EU. The Visegrad group of countries (the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia) was then formed, which, by demonstrating successful political and economic regional cooperation, decided to adopt Western values, laws, and norms and join NATO and the EU.
The Czech Republic firmly, openly, and unreservedly supports us on our path to EU integration. This was especially confirmed, as I mentioned earlier, two years ago during its EU presidency, when the Western Balkans countries greatly benefited from their European integration efforts.
The Czech Republic is one of our largest equipment donors for security purposes, particularly for controlling and preventing illegal migration.
Apart from political-security cooperation, I want to emphasize the possibility and mutual interest in expanding economic and cultural cooperation. In addition to my regular contacts with representatives of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other political entities following and reporting on current situations and events in the country, I also have regular cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, whose minister visited North Macedonia in the spring. In Brno, as the main business and fair city, opportunities are opening for business contacts with the participation of our companies in those fairs, as well as attracting larger Czech investments in our country and establishing the Macedonian-Czech Chamber of Commerce business association, for which specific steps have already been taken.
What about your activities in the field of cultural cooperation?
At the end of March, in the National Gallery of Prague, I opened an exhibition of paintings, sculptures, models, and photographs owned by the Museum of Contemporary Art of North Macedonia, which lasts until the end of September. All these works presented at the exhibition, including works by important Czech authors, were donated to our Museum of Contemporary Art after the catastrophic earthquake in Skopje in 1963, when our capital was the world centre of solidarity. I expect such and similar cultural events to occur more often and strengthen cooperation between the two countries, as building such bridges of cooperation brings the two countries and their people closer. Therefore, I anticipate the establishment of a Cultural Centre in Prague, which will be a temple of mutual cooperation.
In July, on the day when the Czech Republic celebrates the Day of All-Slavic Educators, the brothers Saint Cyril and Methodius, I met with our fellow citizens in Prague to celebrate this holiday, which connects our two countries. It is estimated that around 4,000 of our compatriots live and work in the Czech Republic and have established two official Clubs, which also represent a significant element for further deepening the excellent friendly relations between the two countries.
People can also be brought closer by travelling. How do you promote your country as a holiday destination for Czech people?
North Macedonia has its own economic and tourism promoter based in Warsaw, responsible for the Visegrad Group of countries. He often comes to Prague, and together we visit the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as the Czech Chamber of Commerce.
Our priority task is to reestablish a direct flight between Skopje and Prague as soon as possible. North Macedonia offers a Mediterranean climate, many natural beauties, three natural lakes, numerous rivers, mountains with ski centres, and opportunities for developing rural and extreme sports tourism. At every step, you can find historical sites, cultural centres, monasteries, private wineries, restaurants with traditional cuisine, healthy and natural food, fruits and vegetables, and hospitable hosts.
This interview is done on the occasion of your National Day. Do you have a wish you would like to express?
We celebrate Independence Day – September 8th every year – marking the day in 1991 when the people expressed their will to create an independent republic in a referendum. In Prague, we mark this date, as well as the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Czech Republic, with a reception and a cultural and artistic program.
In the future, I wish and expect our relations with the Czech Republic to develop further, leading to successful and prosperous cooperation at every level. I also hope that soon both countries will be equal member states in the EU, as our political and economic orientation and perspective align with that goal. As diplomats often say: It is better to be seen at the table, than on the menu.