Václav Klaus in Skopje: "Cultural Diplomacy or Just Diplomacy?"

Many thanks for the invitation to participate in the Skopje Cultural Diplomacy Forum 2025. I am grateful to be here. This is already my sixth visit of Macedonia. I was here only as a politician, never as a tourist, which is, because of the well-known beauties of your country, my fault. For the first time I was here in 2004 attending the funeral of the tragically deceased President Trajkovski. I will never forget the solemn and deeply respectful atmosphere that prevailed at the funeral. My last visit here was in 2022 when speaking at the School for Young Leaders in Ohrid, organized by my good friend President Ivanov. Seeing Ohrid is always unforgettable.