The largest unit in the Army – the First Infantry Brigade (1st IBde) from the Operations Command, celebrated the Day of the Unit with a military ceremony in front of the formations of all units from its composition and invited guests.
At the military ceremony, which took place in the “Strasho Pindzur” barracks in Petrovec, according to the program, after the speeches by the commanders of the Operations Command and the 1stIBde, the announcement of the best unit from the composition of the brigade followed, as well as the awarding of incentive measures, commendations and awards, a ceremonial parade of the units and a tactical-technical exhibition of the armaments and equipment available to the Brigade.
In his address the Commander of the Operations Command, Brigadier General Besnik Emini, said that today when we are faced with the essential maintenance of global security in the shadow of the continuous migration crisis, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of every independent state must be respected, and every other option is reprehensible and violating international rules and regulations. “Therefore, in these turbulent and challenging times, unity and solidarity in NATO are key, and hence our key priority must be maintaining our combat readiness, as part of the largest alliance in the world to contribute to the preservation of peace and security in the world”, he emphasized.
General Emini, who is also a former commander of the Brigade, congratulating the Unit’s Day to all its members, told them to continue dedicatedly, professionally and efficiently with the further development of the unit into a coherent staff capable to face all the challenges brought by the new age.
The Commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General Sashko Lafchiski, in his speech to the audience emphasized that in the year when we mark the 31st anniversary of the formation of the Army and three years of full membership in the NATO Alliance, we proudly state that the 1st Infantry Brigade continues to be a crucial combat force and striking fist of the Army, always ready to defend the motherland and the national interests, territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“The Brigade, which is the primary capacity when it comes to fulfilling the obligations arising from NATO membership, last year during the “Flash 22″ exercise, successfully completed the NATO assessment of the combat readiness of the Light Infantry Battalion, by which we formally fulfilled the first NATO capability goal. Right after that we have started to build the necessary capacities and capabilities for the Light Infantry Battalion Group, which is our next obligation and our highest priority”, said Lafchiski.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Major General Azim Nuredin, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence, Vladimir Anchev, the special advisor for security from the President’s office, Blerim Koljali, generals from the Army, former commanders of the unit, military leaders from the General Staff and the Ministry of Defence, representatives of the local self-government and the organizations with which the unit cooperates.
Besides the commendations and incentive measures given to members of the units for the results achieved, awards were also given to the best competitors in the military skills competitions, i.e. infantry games, which are held for the first time in the Brigade, the CBRN was declared the best unit of the Brigade.
The First Infantry Brigade is the main combat force of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia that provides forces ready to protect and support our national interests, give aid to the civilian population during natural disasters, epidemics and other calamities. Outside the territory of the Republic of North Macedonia, with the declared units, it participates in peace operations, thereby fulfilling international military obligations. The members of the Brigade are also the main bearers of the security of part of the southern and northern borders, since the very beginning of the migrant crisis.
The composition of this brigade includes members of several branches and services, and is recognizable by the acquired combat experience and participation in peace operations, as well as large number of training activities. Furthermore, it is recognizable by the high NATO evaluations results of the declared units from its composition, coping with the challenges of the migrant crisis and the assistance of the institutions in dealing with the COVID19 pandemic, but also by the selfless help that its members give to the citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia, whenever the need arises.
With the decision of the Commander-in-Chief, April 2nd is designated as the Day of the 1st IBde. It is the date when this unit was transformed and took over the tasks and responsibilities of the two former brigades, thus becoming the largest combat unit in the Army.
