The Minister of Defense Vlado Misajlovski and the Chief of the Army General Staff Major General Sashko Lafchiski held a joint meeting with editors and journalists who report about the defense, today (December 24).
At today’s meeting, the Minister presented the three priority pillars on which defense and the Army rest -stable budgeting, intensive modernization and equipping, as well as the development of human capital. The Minister announced that in 2025 the Army will be rejuvenated with 300 new professional soldiers, which, as he said, will also improve its combat readiness.
At the joint meeting, attended by Deputy Minister of Defense Elfet Ismaili, the Minister said that the jointly reached decision in NATO to allocate 2 percent of GDP for defense has been respected, and the provision to allocate 20 percent of the defense budget for modernization has been exceeded.
“The defense budget for 2025 amounts to 329 million euros, of which over 32%, or over 106 million euros, are intended for modernization and equipping of the Army. Compared to 2024, this is 18 million euros more for this purpose,” said Misajlovski.
The Minister also informed about all the projects for the modernization of the Army, indicating that the procurement of the JLTV armored vehicles should be completed next year, while at the same time the Stryker armored vehicles should also arrive in the Army. In 2025, the Boran Artillery Systems, the Mistral Air Defense Systems and other related equipment will also arrive.
Regarding human capital, the Minister indicated that by the end of 2024, 99 percent of all claims in accordance with the Collective Agreement, the Law on Defense Employees and the Law on Service in the Army have been paid and that all obligations to employees will continue to be respected next year.
Minister Misajlovski thanked the media representatives for their interest and constructiveness and said that the Ministry remains fully open to cooperation.
At today’s meeting, General Lafchiski expressed gratitude to the media representatives for their cooperation and commitment to the media’s affirmation of the Army and said that, as always, the Army remains transparent for further cooperation.
