Skopje, 3 April 2024 (MIA) – Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska met Wednesday with the Special Envoy of the United Kingdom to the Western Balkans, Lord Stuart Peach for talks on the security situation in Europe and the Western Balkan region and on the development of defense relations between North Macedonia and the United Kingdom as NATO allies.

British Ambassador Matthew Lawson was also in the meeting, the Defense Ministry said.

North Macedonia, said Petrovska, considers the United Kingdom an ally fostering strong friendly relations and a developed defense cooperation that has helped the country implement NATO standards.

“Our joint commitment to strengthening security and stability is more than evident. With British support, we continue to develop our largest training ground in a modern training center that offers excellent conditions for developing interoperability within NATO,” stated the Minister. 

Lord Peach in the meeting said North Macedonia and the United Kingdom have strong defense cooperation, evident through his country’s continuous support in the field of military education, different types of donations and joint exercises of members of the two armed forces at Krivolak training center, said the press release. 

The United Kingdom is an ally with which North Macedonia has developed an overall defense cooperation, it added. In 2023, ten joint trainings and exercises took place and army members have continued their education in military academies in the country. 

With financial support of around one million British pounds, 14 complex mobile units for training of army members in an urban environment have been set up at Krivolak, electronic targeting systems have been donated and the construction of a shooting tower is in final stages. Also, British soldiers have been part of many trainings of the members of the light infantry battalion of the Macedonian army, said the press release. 

Photo: MoD