As part of the activities to mark the third anniversary of NATO membership, “Defense Forum 2023” was held today in Skopje, where, besides the large number of experts from the security sphere, the Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurchinovski and the commander of the Operations Command, Brigadier General Besnik Emini addressed the audience.
The Forum was opened by the addresses of NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, via video call, the Minister of Defense, Slavjanka Petrovska, and the United States Ambassador, Angela Aggeler.
In his video address to the audience, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg emphasized that North Macedonia actively contributes to collective security, has a place and an equal voice at the NATO table and enjoys the full protection of the Alliance.
Minister Petrovska pointed out that this Forum, as the pinnacle of the commemoration of the anniversary of our membership in the Alliance and the NATO Day, aims to intensify the dialogue with all social actors because the development of the defense requires a multi-sector approach.
“We are an integral part of NATO and it depends on us, as well as on all other member countries, how much NATO will respond to its task of being a protector of the common civilizational values, freedom, justice and democracy,” said Petrovska.
American Ambassador Aggeler said at the opening that the role of the Alliance in guaranteeing the Euro-Atlantic security has never been greater and that every citizen of North Macedonia should be very proud of the contribution to the advancement of the regional and global stability.
General Gjurchinovski, who addressed the panel discussion on the topic “Position and Role of the Army – Future Development and Priorities”, emphasized that today’s achieved development of the Army, now small, flexible and modern, is a constant process related to strategy, modernization, as well as continuous adaptation to new situations that affect security and in which all defense structures are involved.
Speaking about the dynamic changes in the security sphere, especially caused by the war in Ukraine, he emphasized that assessments and analyzes are being made in the Army about the need to adjust the part of the equipment and resources, as well as the training of the Army according to the expectations, the security situation and the changes that constantly they happen.
“Leadership, flexibility and readiness to react quickly, in accordance with new challenges, are one of the many important factors for dealing with security situations to which the Army gives utmost importance,” said General Gjurchinovski.
In this part of the Forum, the first Minister of Defense, Trajan Gocevski, and the Operations Command Commander, Brigadier General Besnik Emini, who emphasized the need for development, readiness and implementation of requirements, also addressed the audience.
There were over 250 attendees at the Defense Forum, and representatives from North Macedonia, FR Germany, Belgium, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries had addresses in the five panel discussions, presenting their views on the reform processes and activities in the security sphere.
The forum rounds up several activities that marked the third anniversary of our full NATO membership.
