Engineer Battalion – ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Mission and Tasks

Unit’s mission

Provides engineer support and mobility of the units, obstruction of the enemy during operations defending and protecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic; in peace support operations and humanitarian operations conducted abroad, as well as support of the local authorities in dealing with the consequences caused by natural disasters.

List of Main Tasks in the Engineer Battalion Mission

Implementing issues related to NATO standardization;
Planning and realization of measures, activities and procedures for support of the central local government in dealing with natural disasters;
Operational use of the unit, i.e. its parts, following the orders issued by the superior command;
Achieving and maintaining combat readiness;
Training of personnel for participation in multinational operations and peace support missions, and for fighting terrorism;
Participation in military exercises with NATO and the coalition partners;
Planning and training of personnel for the declared unit.

Commander

Lieutenant Colonel Laste Gjorgiev

Lieutenant Colonel Laste Gjorgiev was born in 1981 in Sveti Nikole. He finished primary education in the elementary school “Metodi Mitevski – Brico” in the Municipality of Lozovo and secondary education in the high school “Kocho Racin” in Sveti Nikole. After that, he continued his education at the Military Academy General Mihailo Apostolski in Skopje and in 2004, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant. As a Second Lieutenant, he began his military career in the garrison Skopje as a Commander of Eng Pl/EngCoy/EngBn. During his career, he has performed command and staff duties in the Engineers Battalion and in the Logistic Support Brigade. During his career, he has participated in one peacekeeping mission, “Resolute Support” in Afghanistan in 2016.

Completed courses, seminars and training

Balkan Civil Military Cooperation Course, 2009
Instructors Course, 2010

Exercises

Macedonian Flash 9,
Macedonian Flash 10,
Humanitarian Relief Operation in Natural Disaster, 2011,
Saber Junction – Germany, 2017,
Dragoon Guardian 17 – the Republic of North Macedonia, 2017,
Platinum Wolf 2019- the Republic of Serbia, 2019,
National Response – the Republic of North Macedonia, 2019,
Maple Arch –the Republic of Ukraine, 2019.

Previous duties

Commander of Engineers Platoon/EngCoy/EngBn, 2004-2005,
Commander of 2^nd Engineers Platoon/1^st EngCoy/EngBn/EngRegt, 2005-2006,
Commander of Engineers Platoon/CoyFS and Logistic Support/EngBn /LSBde, 2006-2012,
Commander of 1^st Engineers Company/EngBn/1^st MInfBde, 2012-2019,
Commander of 1^st Engineers Company/EngBn/JOC, 2019-2020,
Chief of Section-3/5/7 in the Engineers Battalion/OC, 2020-2022,
Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander in the Engineers Battalion/OC, 2022-2023.

Promotions

Second Lieutenant 2004-2009,
Lieutenant 2009-2011,
Captain 2011-2016,
Major 2016,
Lieutenant Colonel 2024.

Awards and commendations:

Commander of the best company at the 1^st Mechanized Infantry Brigade level in 2015,
Medal of Merit from the mission “Resolute Support”, Afghanistan 2016,
Silver Army Badge in 2017,
Plaque of the Ministry of Defense for 2023.

Foreign languages

English.

History

The Engineer Battalion of the Army started operating on 1 April 1992 as the 1^st Engineer Regiment. The first Macedonian soldier-a conscript engineer was admitted on 15 April 1992, marking the beginnings of the official functioning of the Army Engineer Unit. Today, after the transformation of the Army units, the Engineer Battalion operates within the 1^st Infantry Brigade (1^st IBde) / Operations Command (OC).

The unit’s transformation in recent history. Since its formation up to now, the unit has transformed as follows:

From 1 April, 1992 to 15 July, 2002 – 1^st Engineer Regiment;
From 15 July 2002 to 14 December 2005 – Engineer Regiment;
From 14 December 2005 to 2 April 2012 – Engineer Battalion within the Logistic Support Command;
From 2 April 2012 – Engineer Battalion within the 1^st Mechanized Infantry Brigade (1^st MIBde)/ Joint Operations Command (JOC);
From 1^st November 2019 – Engineer Battalion within the Operations Command;
From 1^st September 2023 – Engineer Battalion within the 1^st IBde/OC.

– Engineer works at the archaeological site “Bila Zora” – Sveti Nikole;

– Dealing with heavy rain-induced challenges in Skopje region, Municipality of Gazi Baba;

– Dealing with heavy rain-induced challenges in the region of village Shipkovica – Tetovo.

On 18 August 2016 the unit was awarded ‘Order of Military Merit’ by the President.

During 2023, in accordance with the new Army formation, the Engineer Battalion became part of the 1^st Infantry Brigade and it was displaced from “Ilinden” barracks in Skopje to “Chojlija” barracks – Petrovec. Besides the challenges resulting from its displacement, members of the Engineer Battalion continued their dedicated work.

In the course of 2023 two (2) armored vehicles for detecting Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) – Husky VMMD 2G with full additional gear, were taken over. At the same time, integration of equipment for maintenance and handling of the armored vehicles was performed by the FSR – Field Service Representative.

2024 is jubilee year – 80^th anniversary since the establishment of Engineer Brigade of the GS of PLAM, in order to support and facilitate the successful performance of other Army units’ daily tasks, as well as the local government.

– Search and detection of mine- explosive devices along the newly constructed section for building the Prilep – Bitola section of Corridor 10D.

Units’ participation in military exercises in the country:

– Saviour 1997’;

– The Best Co-operative Activity 1998;

– Foundation Stone 2003

– Macedonian Flash – series of military exercises

– Dragoon Guardian 17;

– National Response 2019;

– Decisive Strike 21;

– Seven Stars-22;

– Swift Response 22;

– Immediate Response 23;