The RECOM round-table in Skopje [report and transcript]

27.11.2015, Skopje

On 10^th of November 2015, in Hotel Porta, Skopje, the Center for Research and Policy- making organized a round-table in the framework of the RECOM Initiative. The round-table was attended by relevant guests, such as former military officials, young policy-makers, NGO activists and professors, as well as students from the “Mother Teresa” School for Public Policy. The event was divided into two parts: the first part was devoted to the official speakers (panelists) of the round-table, the second part was given over to a Q&A session.

With regard to the speakers, the introductory address was delivered by Prof. Zhidas Daskalovski (national advocate for the RECOM Imitative), who also presented the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff from the UN Human Rights Council. The next speaker was Prof. Eric Gordy, who gave a presentation titled “Southeast European states, the EU, and reconciliation”. As third speaker, Prof. Biljana Vankovska presented the anthology “Zbornik – Transitional Justice and Reconciliation”. Prof. Vankovska highlighted that this anthology should be widely disseminated and used as a guideline and platform in the regional efforts for establishing sustainable and democratic relations between all ethnic groups and countries. The last speaker was Mr. Raim Limani, a high school teacher and former member of the NLA. He stressed that all of the ethnic groups in Macedonia should join efforts in building a multi-ethnic society, inclusive of everyone. According to him, this needs to be the starting point for each political party and priority number 1 of each policy-maker, state official or relevant person involved in the state operation.

The second part of the above-mentioned event was devoted to comments and a Q&A session. Most of the attendees were interested about the modalities and tools for fostering the reconciliation process in Macedonia and the regional states. In addition, the guests were interested about the consequences and effects of the migrant influx over recent months on the national and regional initiatives for building a sustainable and lasting peace.

The round-table was concluded by abstracting the key remarks, but also with an pre-announcement about the next round-table in the framework of the RECOM Initiative, which needs to take place at the end of December 2015 in Skopje, with different topics and guest speakers, relevant to the aims and the goals of the RECOM Initiative.

Zhidas Daskalovski,

President of CRPM and National Promoter of RECOM Initiative

Gallery

Debata o pomirenju u Skoplju-10.11.2015.-transkript (in Serbian)