Skopje, 12 November 2021 (MIA) – North Macedonia’s NATO military integration process will be officially concluded at a closing conference on Nov. 15-16 in Skopje. The event will be attended by General Philippe Lavigne, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Chief of Army Staff, Major General Vasko Gjurchinovski, NATO command officials and representatives of the General Staff and the Defence Ministry. A joint declaration will be signed at a ceremony on Tuesday at the presidential residence, which marks the country becoming officially a NATO interoperable member. Gen. Lavigne will sign the document on behalf of NATO and the Chief of Staff, Major General Gjurchinovski will sign on behalf of North Macedonia. At a press briefing on Friday, Defence Minister Radmila Shekerinska said the country has concluded a quite difficult integration process in 2,5 years according to the planned dynamic despite being faced with political challenges, including few elections and the health crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The process involved several areas with 193 tasks and subtasks, and neither of them was easy, the Minister said. “Parliament adopted eight laws with most of them already being in force, and one memorandum of understanding. Two laws that are not necessary for military integration are under way. In terms of adoption of legislation, we finished that part pretty quickly, but we had to show then we are an ally they can rely on in terms of modernization, internal reforms and the budget. We demonstrated that we finished what we had announced to do in terms of financing and modernization,” Shekerinska said. As regards the defence budget, efforts are under way to increase it by 0.2% per year. It stands at 1.57% of the GDP this year and it is expected to be recorded at 1.77% in 2022 in order to meet the requirement of 2 percent of the GDP by 2024 according to NATO standards. Of these funds, nearly 30 percent has been used to equip the army. The country’s first certified officers will be deployed to NATO commands one month after the conclusion of the local elections. Namely, six officers will be part of the NATO command structure, which come as a result of North Macedonia joining NATO. “Once you become a member and become militarily integrated, the dynamic increases and the member gets new tasks. We should adopt a long-term plan to develop the defence capability having in mind the tasks set out by NATO,” said Shekerinska. According to General Nuredini, who is in charge of the country’s NATO military integration, all new Alliance members are obligated to conclude the military integration process, defined under the NATO admission directive in line with the national integration plan and the NATO support plan. North Macedonia’s main goal was to integrate the army into the NATO command structure as well as the NATO force structure, which secures the country’s full contribution in conducting missions and tasks as NATO member, said the General. The process of military integration of North Macedonia into NATO began after the signing of the Protocol on the country’s accession to the Alliance. The process of military integration was monitored, coordinated and implemented by a working group composed of experts in seven areas: administration, equipment and modernization, force structure, education, training, exercises and evaluation, logistics and medicine, integration of the national air surveillance system with the NATO system, communication and information systems, and cyber defense. Over 150 officers and more than 40 instructors have been certified to monitor how units are evaluated. 152 combat vehicles (Oshkosh and Stryker) have been procured. The first dozen should arrive in early 2022. Also, air control center has been equipped, due to be put into operations in late November. Technical air policing agreement was signed with Greece after a bilateral agreement had been signed. Helicopters are set to be procured in 2024.