MARIANA
NORTH
MACEDONIA
33 YEARS
"Be loud, be true
to yourself and to
your personal values.
Wherever your heart lies, there should be the maximum effort
involved."
When reflecting on her initial encounter with the European Union, Mariana recalls two memories. The first one is the planning of a family trip to Greece with her twin sister and parents – along with the costly and time-intensive visa process that was in place at the time. The second memory is the celebration of the people in the streets of Skopje, when the entrance of North Macedonia to the Schengen zone was decided. It was one of many political changes Mariana had been following closely and with great passion since her teenage years.
It all started with an English language debate club and a group of friends that met there for the first time. And it deserves a special and extraordinary mention that ten years later, most of the circle of friends stayed with political work since those teenage years, just like her.
Currently Mariana serves as the “Secretary General of the National Youth Council of North Macedonia.” Her successful trajectory emphasizes the importance of engaging the Young with political work early. In her day-to-day work for Mariana it is crucial to ensure that young people feel heard and to provide ongoing feedback on processes, as there are often limitations in terms of the speed at which changes can be implemented. To involve them in the procedure, even though the result is not yet apparent, is motivating as it proves that changes are happening.
The Berlin Process to her in one word is one of reconciliation. Mariana strongly believes it is up to the young to raise their voice and for them to take on more risks and responsibility to lead the Berlin Process as well. It is something she tries to convey in her work with young people every day: She and many of the politicians she is in contact with, are proud of the fact some of the most tangible outcomes of the Berlin Process
are products delivered and created by young people called “The Youth Manifesto”, as well as the establishment of the RYCO office, the Regional Youth Cooperation Office that operates as an autonomous institutional entity, established by the Western Balkans Six participants.
Considering the current fragile state of the European Union, Mariana posits it as a normal phase of development that any institution undergoes at a specific point in time. Democracies all over Europe and abroad are encountering a period of uncertainty, during which they require a degree of disruption to reorient themselves. It´s a detour in the right direction.
Simultaneously, although current studies show that it is still a long way for North Macedonia to enter the EU a lot of groundwork has been laid in the recent years. It is a slow and complicated process, but the prospect of securing peace and establishing economical and personal prosperity for everyone in North Macedonia keeps on motivating her in her work.
In a personal capacity, a similar observation can be made regarding Mariana. Four years ago, during the global pandemic, she relocated from her modest hometown in the eastern region to the capital city of Skopje. Initially, she was apprehensive about the transition to a new position and the prospect of working in a more dynamic environment with individuals who are innovative and continuously engaged in thought-provoking discourse. However, in ten years‘ time she still sees herself residing here, working on the sustainable development of communities, and collaborating with individuals from marginalized backgrounds to guarantee the presence of equality and equity in society and Skopje, as well. A city she now considers her home, no matter the adversities she had to face to make it hers.
