Skopje, 18 December 2024 (MIA) — Defense Minister Vlado Misajlovski, the country's Chief of Defense Maj. Gen. Sashko Lafchiski, and Croatian Defense Attaché Colonel Stjepan Domjančić addressed Wednesday the 2024 annual briefing with defense attachés to the country that took place at Skopje's Goce Delchev Barracks Public Relations Center.

According to the Ministry of Defense in a press release, Minister Misajlovski said the briefing — as well as previous meetings held with defense attachés — provided clear evidence of the country's commitment to bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation.

"My fatherland and the countries you represent are all part of a global international order that can function and guarantee the security of its citizens only if we work together sincerely and with commitment to a single goal in mind: peace, stability and democracy," Misajlovski is quoted as saying in the release.

The defense minister also spoke about the future development of the country's defense in general as well as developing the armed forces in particular. He said 32 percent of the country's defense budget would go to modernizing the Army.

"Compared to 2024, this is over EUR 18 million more for new, modern equipment, for a stronger Army, for a stronger collective defense in the NATO alliance," Misajlovski said.

"This is yet another undeniable proof our country is an active and dedicated ally," he said.

According to the defense minister, the state's three priority goals in developing its defense — stabilizing the budget, intensifying the modernization process, and fully respecting army personnel rights and obligations toward them — had been successfully met. This good work would continue in 2025, he added.

Maj. Gen. Lafchiski thanked all defense attachés for their help in building and modernizing the country's defense capacities through bilateral cooperation as well as through numerous training activities.

"This next year, 2025, this support of yours, this cooperation with you — but also the support we will receive from the ministry and the government — will be even stronger," Lafchiski said.

Colonel Domjančić thanked the Ministry of Defense and the Army's General Staff for the opportunity to hear first-hand about how the country's defense sector was being developed.

Highlighting that the country was a valued member of NATO, Croatia's defense attaché also noted that Macedonian foreign and security policy was fully aligned with the European Union's foreign and security policy.

According to the release, the country's annual briefing with defense attachés provided a complete overview of the mutual cooperation over the past year and discussed the steps to be taken in 2025. mr/