Skopje, 11 September 2023 (MIA) - Today is an important day for our ministries and for our cooperation, because for the first time we signed an agreement on bilateral defence cooperation between North Macedonia and Portugal, thus showing that NATO also means stronger defence cooperation, because we have a common, unique goal, Defence Minister Slavjanka Petrovska said at Monday’s press conference after signing the agreement with the Portuguese Minister of National Defence Helena Carreiras, who is paying first official visit to the Republic of North Macedonia.

Petrovska said that the for common good and development of the two armed forces, they will commit themselves to increase cooperation and consultation in the field of security policy, peace operations, joint training and education, and they will also work on environmental protection in the context of military activities.

“I am pleased that a part of this agreement includes the development of cooperation in the domain of gender issues. As women leaders in defence, we understand the need for the women’s inclusion in the area of security - but not as a number, but as an opportunity for added value and quality in the current security architecture,” Petrovska said.

She noted that the cooperation will also be expanded in the area of cyber security, which, is a very important segment for the stability of any modern security system, and underlined that the brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine showed that today's conflicts are more complex than ever before.

“A conventional war is being fought on the ground, which we condemn every day, while Ukraine and all of us face constant attempts to destabilize our societies, which are of a hybrid nature. NATO and our allies are unique and committed to protect the Alliance from all kinds of threats, including threats in cyberspace, and it is quite natural to cooperate in that area as well,” Petrovska added.

Portuguese Minister of National Defence Helena Carreiras stated that as partners in the Alliance, she firmly believed that common goals in security and defence can only be achieved by strengthening alliances, an idea that was reaffirmed today with the signing of the defence cooperation agreement between the two countries.

“This agreement will serve as a cornerstone for the development of our relations. I would like to highlight some areas of that we intend to cooperate, including regular political-strategic consultations, peacekeeping activities, military training and exercises, cooperation in the field of Common Security and Defence Policy, cybersecurity, defence industry, the women, peace and security agenda, as some of the areas we can work on in the future,” Carreiras added.

She underscored the important role that Portugal attaches to the country's future accession to the European Union, which will strengthen the European project and contribute to the stability of the Balkan region, and in the meantime shared Portugal's commitment to support Africa's new path towards achieving peace and security, bearing in mind Portugal's role as a bridge connecting Africa to Europe.

She added that the common values in the Alliance also contribute to the common support of Ukraine, defending the preservation of the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, and expressed gratitude for the participation of our country in missions such as KFOR and in the multinational battle groups on the eastern flank of NATO through the participation of both Portugal and the country in NATO's Enhanced Vigilance Activities mission in Romania.

Photo: MIA