The 31st Birthday of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia, 18 August – the Day of the Army, was celebrated at the military stadium in the city park in Skopje
Many prominent people gave speeches at the ceremony including, the President of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Commander-in-Chief Stevo Pendarovski, the Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski and the Minister of Defense Slavjanka Petrovska.
The President of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Commander-in-Chief Stevo Pendarovski awarded medals at the ceremony.
First army personnel who served in humanitarian and peacekeeping mission abroad were awarded medals, whereas army personnel who helped in coping with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Turkiye were awarded Medal of Courage.
The Minister of Defense Petrovska gave promotions to officers to the rank of Colonel.
As part of the celebrations, following the military ceremony, wreaths of fresh flowers were laid at the Butel city cemetery, at the partisans’ cemetery, at the graves of former Presidents Boris Trajkovski and Kiro Gligorov, and the grave of General Mihailo Apostolski. An Army delegation also laid fresh flowers at the monument on Slavej Mountain, where the first bigger army unit, Battalion Mirche Acev, was founded in 1943 as part of the National Liberation Army.
Besides the central celebration, other celebrations were held in the garrisons where the subordinate commands and units of the General Staff are stationed.
