Macedonia - Leadership

The election of Boris Trajkovski, who was born after World War II, to the presidency brings a new generation of political leadership to Macedonia. Trajkovski, however, can be expected to continue the political moderation and emphasis on stability of his predecessor, Kiro Gligorov. As president of Macedonia, Gligorov made numerous attempts to moderate increasing tensions among the Yugoslav republics and proposed compromise solutions for Yugoslavia that would create a community of sovereign republics.

Like Gligorov, Trajkovski has made efforts to work toward defusing potentially destabilizing ethnic tensions in Macedonia, especially those centered around Macedonia's Albanian population. In his inaugural address, he stated, "I will not allow ethnic hatred, chauvinism, and intolerance to destroy the stability of the country." During the campaign and following the election, Trajkovski also emphasized his belief in the importance of the family as the cornerstone of society and nationwide policies to strengthen the family and its values.