Today in Zagreb, the Republic of Croatia, the Chief of the Army’s General Staff, Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurchinovski, participated for the first time in the Chiefs of Defence (CHOD) Meeting of the Defense Cooperation Initiative – DECI (Defence Cooperation Initiative) member countries, thus marking our formal joining to this security initiative.
After the initial address of the Defence Minister of Croatia, Mario Banožić, the meeting was opened by the Chief of Defence of Italy, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. Admiral Dragone stressed that the accession of the Republic of North Macedonia to DECI would be useful and important for the further functioning of this security initiative.
The meeting is also attended by the commanders of the NATO Allied Joint Force Command Naples, KFOR, EUFOR-ALTEA and the Command of Multinational Land Force (MLF). Several current topics affecting security in the region are discussed through expert talks, as well as the role of these NATO and EU operations in strengthening the regional stability.
In addition to this, several panel discussions will consider the capacity building possibility, strengthening joint training and cooperation, the involvement and impact of the initiative in international security organizations, and promoting support for joint projects, including contributions to multinational commands and military structures of NATO and the EU.
At the first panel discussion General Gjurchinovski stressed that by joining this security initiative, we reaffirm once again our commitment to strengthening the cooperation and security at regional level, as a condition for prosperity of the region.
Further dynamics of the activities and meetings will be determined at the end of this meeting, followed by the Chiefs of Defence signing a joint statement and conceptual framework.
During his stay in Zagreb, General Gjurchinovski will also discuss with his colleagues several topics of mutual bilateral interest in the field of defense, as well as opportunities and ways to strengthen the dialogue on the security and stability of the region.
The DECI initiative was established under the auspices of Italy in 2012 as a regional initiative focused on security cooperation between the Adriatic and Balkan countries with the membership of Italy, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, and later Albania and Montenegro.
In the past, the initiative has been confirmed as an important instrument for strengthening and developing mutual partnership and cooperation and is a prominent bearer of activities that contribute to the development of peace, stability and security in the region. At the same time, the importance of the interconnection of the defense planning process within NATO and the EU is emphasized.
The Chiefs of Defence of the DECI member countries meet once a year to consider mutual defense cooperation and harmonize the further development of joint projects, as well as to discuss the security situation in the wider Balkan and the Mediterranean region.
