Skopje, 17 August 2026 (MIA) -- To celebrate its 34th anniversary, the Army has organized several events in Skopje and Shtip ahead of Aug. 18, Army Day.

As part of the celebration, the Army's artillery battalion will fire a ceremonial 10-gun salute from six artillery pieces at the Ilinden barracks in Skopje at 7 pm. A test firing consisting of one volley from six artillery pieces will take place at 6 pm.

The anniversary will also be marked at the Jane Sandanski barracks in Shtip with a review of the Army's 2nd Infantry Battalion and other army units. Attendees will include senior military officials, local mayors, local public enterprise directors and religious representatives.

August 18 was chosen as Army Day to commemorate the August 18, 1943, formation of the Mirche Acev Battalion on Mount Slavej. It is considered the first organized military formation in Macedonia in WWII.

The formation of the country's modern army began in 1992, when then-President Kiro Gligorov and the leadership of the Yugoslav People's Army signed an agreement on the relocation of federal troops from the territory of the Republic of Macedonia.

The army is now part of the NATO collective security system, after the Republic of North Macedonia became the alliance's 30th member in March 2020. mr/