Skopje, 16 November 2023 (MIA) – Defence Minister Slavjanka Petrovska stated Thursday that the recent developments in the region and beyond do not pose a risk to the stability and security of North Macedonia.

During today’s defence ministerial meeting of the US - Adriatic Charter A5 held in Skopje, she responded to a journalist's question, stating that based on the information available at the national level, our country is safe and stable.

“In the ongoing exchange of information and our today’s addresses, a segment of our present discussions was directly linked to the evaluation of the security condition and the manner in which we cooperate with each other. The sharing of information, actively taking place among the countries in the region today, is of exceptional significance. This practice ensures that the institutions or services responsible for ensuring security and stability, both at the national and broader levels, remain promptly informed,” Petrovska said.

She stated that from a political standpoint, there is still concern about any attempt at destabilization, regardless of whether it is on a smaller or larger scale.

"As the Republic of North Macedonia, we stand unafraid of any potential armed incidents on our territory. However, it is clear that as a country committed to promoting regional peace, stability, and security, we aim to participate in processes that will contribute to reconciliation and, of course, to what we are discussing today: a more prosperous future for everyone. To be more precise, at this moment, according to the information available at the national level in our agencies, there is no danger to the Republic of North Macedonia, and no threat to its security and stability. However, the call remains, including from today's meeting, for all political authorities in the countries of the region and beyond to be more actively involved in the political dialogues that will contribute to what we discussed today,” Petrovska noted.

US Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defence Celeste Wallander underscored the preparedness of the United States to contribute to the stability of the Western Balkans.

"We are very grateful to our allies and partners in the Western Balkans that are committed and working in a manner that aims to achieve compromise, reconciling their differences in the context of promoting stability and what we discussed today within the framework of the US and the Adriatic Charter," Wallander said.

She underlined that the United States continues its commitment to diplomatic efforts, aligning political perspectives, and providing support for Euro and Euro-Atlantic integration.

"The long-term contribution of the United States in this region is through Euro-Atlantic integration, which led to the establishment of the US-Adriatic Charter. At the same time, the United States supports the aspirations of A5 initiative countries for EU membership, and beyond. We believe that progress toward European integration will provide a strong foundation for stability and security in Southeastern Europe,” she added.

Photo: MIA archive