Today (3rd February), the President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov accompanied by the Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Goranco Koteski visited the flood-hit areas in Pelagonia region and nearby Crna River.
President Ivanov visited the village Trojkrsti where ARM members, together with employees of other public companies, were setting up sandbags as a preventative measure from the heavy rains expected in the upcoming days. On this occasion President Ivanov emphasized the engagement of ARM members in jointly undertaken activities with public companies, in order to repair the damages caused by overflowing of Crna River, as well as setting up of 10 thousand sandbags as a protection measure.
The Chief of General Staff emphasized the engagement of ARM members in the past days in Stip, Strumica, Kumanovo and Pelagonia region, particularly on the Crna River banks, where ARM is doing its best and is prepared to put its capacities at disposal in order to help the citizens and the local government units that are most likely to be hit by the floods. General Koteski emphasized that the Army is ready to evacuate the residents if necessary, indicating that at the moment 700 ARM members with necessary mechanization are engaged. He added that two teams from the Air Force Brigade are on stand-by if a need arises to evacuate the population, and that the Army already supplies flood hit municipalities with fuel.
ARM is actively involved in the assistance and help of the local authorities and other entities dealing with floods in all areas throughout the Republic of Macedonia. It is engaged upon requirements of the Crisis Headquarters. Today, only in Pelagonia region 300 ARM members are engaged and there are 700 members with machinery, terrain vehicles and necessary materials and equipment deployed all over the country.
