Members of the Operations Command (OC) marked the Day of the unit with a military ceremony held today at the military barracks ‘Boro Menkov’ in Kumanovo.
Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia, Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurchinovski and the OC Commander, Brigadier General Besnik Emini addressed the present guests and personnel.
In his speech General Gjurchinovski praised the achieved results and successfully completed tasks by the OC over the past period, as well as its commitment to the process of full NATO integration. He also stressed the support by military and state leaders for improving the conditions, equipment and standards, and he told the OC members: ‘We owe and are obliged not only to our country, but to its citizens to continue professionally fulfilling our tasks which we have the capacity and necessary knowledge for.’
He pointed out the increased number of military exercise activities anticipated for the future period, which will be appropriately modernized with current and sophisticated assets in order to accomplish better results through continuous effort, order and discipline, commitment and professionalism suitable for NATO member Army.
OC Commander, Brigadier General Besnik Emini, also gave a speech. He mentioned the large number of successfully fulfilled tasks in the past year, among which is the successful management of the troops engaged at the south border, participation in fire fighting activities, assistance in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the international military exercise ‘Decisive Strike 21’, of which he said: ‘Once again we displayed high level of interoperability with the Alliance, and we also confirmed our motto that together we stand stronger’.
‘We, the Operations Command will not abandon the tempo and the quality of work we are identified by. I have no doubts that we will successfully deal with all future challenges’ – stressed General Emini in his speech.
The ceremony, which was realized in compliance with all the COVID-19 protocol, was attended by Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Azim Nuredin, Generals of the Army, State Secretary for Defense, Dragan Nikolic, representatives from the Presidential cabinet, former OC commanders, representatives from the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff and the South-East Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) which is located at the barracks.
During the ceremony incentives were awarded to OC members for accomplished results in their work, while the Engineer Battalion was chosen best unit for the past year.
The Operations Command maintains the tradition of marking the day when the Kresna uprising staff was founded, which is also the day when Kresna uprising started, as one of the most significant moments in history our Army’s traditions are based on.
The OC, as a command on operational level, in the course of its existence functioned as an Army Corps until 2000, when it was transformed into 1st Army Corps, and in 2002 it grew into a Land Force Command, and since 2005 it was restructured in compliance with NATO standards into Joint Operations Command, and with the process of transformation after receiving full-fledged NATO membership it got its present name.
As the highest command on operational level in the Army, the OC is most responsible for preparing its commands and units to carry out constitutive tasks of the Army, as well as to participate in peace missions and contribute to and assist state institutions in crisis.
