Skopje, 14 October 2024 (MIA) – An oath-taking ceremony for the 28th class of student cadets was held Monday at the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski”. The President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, and Defence Minister, Vlado Misajlovski, addressed the event. 

Siljanovska Davkova said she was proud of the Army members, stressing that the state must support the cadet officers. According to the President, human capital is the Army's strongest point, as evidenced by the constant activities and participation in dealing with crises and disasters. 

"As the President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, I can say that our Army is composed of professional, motivated and credible elders and soldiers, who are part of the NATO pact. In the five years of membership, but also as part of the partnership for peace in numerous missions, our members have shown and are still showing and proving that they can stand side by side with their colleagues from the strongest armies and achieve the highest results, performing their tasks immaculately... However, for me, the strongest point of our Army is its human capital. We were convinced of this not only during the missions abroad, but also in the constant activities and participation in dealing with crises and disasters, and the concrete help and support of citizens. I am rightly proud, and we are rightly proud of the members of the Army, and we must support the cadet officers," said Siljanovska Davkova. 

World peace, she added, has not been so disturbed and weak for a long time, as it has in the past few years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the uncontrolled escalation of the military conflict in the Middle East. 

"Not only top military experts, but also ordinary people see the major threat of conflict in everyday gruesome images, conflict of global proportions with unpredictable and unfathomable consequences for humanity. Through a geopolitical, but also humanitarian angle, we must express great concern in the military environment and developments. We are aware of the role of the 'security umbrella', but also of the need to invest and develop our own Army. I am convinced that there is no conflict on which a peaceful solution cannot be reached, the sooner, the better. I believe that we, taught by the brutal history, have learned the philosophy of peace and that we will not allow military conflicts on our soil. I wish the members of the Army to be engaged in peace operations rather than war operations and activities at some future time," the President added. 

Defense Minister Misajlovski told the cadets to jointly and dedicatedly discover the secrets of the military profession in the next four years and make use of the knowledge and experience of the teaching staff.

"Your first steps begin here at the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski”, which is a respectable institution in broad terms. A place with top staff, a higher education institution, which has so far produced many quality officers, who have made and are making a significant contribution to the affirmation and development of the Army. I wish the cadets from Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina a warm welcome. I am telling you all together, in the next four years to jointly conquer the secrets of the military profession, to perfect it, because you will specialize in an area that is specific, but also characteristic in terms of standards, expertise, discipline and, most importantly, cooperation. Together in the next four years you will learn, train and contribute to the development of our cooperation. Today as cadets, and tomorrow as army officers, who care about the safety of their fellow citizens," said Misajlovski.

He pointed out that we live in a world of rapid changes with a huge number of technological innovations and a changed security environment, where cooperation and partnership are essential for the preservation of civilizational values.

"We live in a dynamic time, in a world of rapid changes with a huge number of technological innovations, a time when the world is changing in almost every field. We live in a time with a changed security environment, with numerous challenges where cooperation and partnership are first essential for quick adaptation, through a common approach to an appropriate response towards preserving civilizational values, freedom, justice and democracy," Misajlovski said. 

Photo: Ministry of Defense