President Gordana Siljanovska-Davidkova delivered a speech at the Paris Peace Forum on the discussion panel next door: Sovereignty in an age of Hibride threats.

She stressed that the world is in a period of profound transformation, in which old models are being exhausted, and the new ones have not yet been formed.

Reminding Antonio Gramsci of the concept of inter-king, Siljanovska-Davidkova warned that in such periods, space is created for a political vacuum and geopolitical hazards, because, as she pointed out, a political vacuum never lasts long, and this is especially true of the Balkans.

Speaking of the region’s European perspective, the president said countries of the so-called Western Balkans are not Europe’s periphery, but its natural geographical, historical and cultural part.

Siljanovska-Davidkova stressed that the country has had candidate status for 21 years and that there are 17 positive reports behind it, but despite that, the negotiations process has not yet begun.

Speaking of numerous constitutional changes, Siljanovska-David also opened the fundamental dilemma of sovereignty and democratic legitimacy, remembering that the Constitution is not only the highest legal act, but also a social contract.
My success stems from citizens and belongs to citizens. And my legitimacy also, the president said, calling for rule of law as well as respect for human rights and freedoms.

Instead of asking only Western Balkan countries to be more resistant, she says, the European Union should strengthen their resistance by accelerating their EU integration process.

The president warned that in the modern world, marked by artificial intelligence, digitalisation and new forms of hybrid threats, the answer cannot be only external resistance, but also internal democratic and institutional strength.