US congressional delegation to visit Macedonia

The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) will hold a press conference Monday at Holiday Inn hotel in Skopje, in relation to three-day visit of US congressional delegation.

The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) is sponsoring a delegation of 18 senior Congressional staffers to Macedonia and Turkey. TCA and the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) are working together to educate the senior advisors about the primary issues of importance facing both nations and the status of their relationships with the United States.

“Combining the delegation’s travel to Turkey with a visit to Macedonia will help provide the participants with a deeper perspective on the region and the crucial importance of their relationship to the US,” said G. Lincoln McCurdy, president of TCA.

During their stay in Macedonia, the delegation will meet with President Gjorge Ivanov, Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki, and Defense Minister Zoran Konjanovski. They will have the opportunity to receive a briefing from the US Ambassador Philip Reeker on the current status of the US-Macedonian relationship, be briefed by representatives of the Turkish Mission to Macedonia, and will also meet legislators and representatives of NGOs working on foreign and domestic policy.

The delegation will visit three cities, Skopje, the birthplace of Mother Teresa and Justinian the Great; Bitola, where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk went to military academy; as well as Ohrid, considered to be the Pearl and Jerusalem of the Balkans.

“We are very enthusiastic about the TCA-sponsored Congressional staff delegation’s visit to Macedonia,” said Metodija A. Koloski, President of UMD. “We encourage all members of Congress and their staff to learn more about the rich history of Macedonia as well as the crucial importance of strong relations with the US and the strategic role Macedonia plays in the Southeast European region.”