Skopje, 27 December 2023 (MIA) - In 2024, 2 percent of GDP will be spent on defence, about a third of which will be aimed at modernization and equipping, said Minister of Defence Slavjanka Petrovska. 

According to Petrovska, the 2024 budget will be higher than this year's budget by about EUR 50 million, and almost EUR 100 million from the total amount of about EUR 327 million have been set aside for modernization, which is an increase of EUR 10 million compared to 2023. 

She pointed out that a significant part of the budget will be allocated for reconstruction of facilities, as well as purchase of uniforms, footwear, sanitary items, maintenance of military equipment, ammunition and material means for training and exercises.

"The 2024 defence budget is in the amount of a historical 2.05 percent of GDP, of which again a third will be allocated towards the process of modernization and equipping. That will allow for the supplies of JLTV and Stryker armored vehicles, Mistral 3 air defence systems and Boran artillery pieces to continue as agreed," Petrovska said. 

She noted that the first Stryker vehicles are expected to arrive by the end of 2024, and two helicopters that are undergoing overhaul should be back to the country in the first half of next year.

"On December 15, we signed the framework agreement with the Czech Republic, which for the first time systematically resolves the challenges of timely procurement of spare parts, repair of parts and supply of consumables for the needs of military aircraft," Petrovska said, adding that a procurement process for eight new multipurpose helicopters is also nearing its end.   

The Minister also said that the amendments to the law on army service have significantly improved conditions for army members, adding that improvements are also expected next year with a new law on employees at the Ministry of Defence, which is currently in parliamentary procedure.

Petrovska mentioned that in 2023 the Ministry of Defence invested in increasing the Army's combat readiness, procurement of new and modern equipment, as well as in the development of human potential in defence, allowing the Army to also receive convoys of military vehicles to transport, for the needs of the NATO unit, most modern and sophisticated armored vehicles to their final destination - the barracks in Shtip. She added that in 2023, the defence sector was also successful internationally.

"As a responsible NATO member, we have continued and will continue to contribute to the security of the Alliance by participating in the multinational NATO forces in Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria, just as we continue our contribution to regional security. Our troops remain in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, and in the EUFOR Bosnia and Herzegovina military operation ALTHEA," said Petrovska, noting that bilateral cooperation with allies has never been at a higher level. 

In addition, she mentioned the 10-year road map for the Macedonian-American defence cooperation signed with U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, as well as the defence cooperation agreements with Slovenia and Portugal.

"This year, success in the transparency of the Ministry of Defence has tripled. We confirmed the leadership position in the area of ​​active transparency, we came out in the first place in terms of openness not only in the Republic of North Macedonia, but also in the region, and we received confirmation from the Agency for the Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information which ranked us in the first place with 100 - percent number of points. We will not deviate from our transparency, which is also our gold standard, and therefore I assure you that our close cooperation will continue into 2024," Minister Slavjanka Petrovska told an end-of-the-year press briefing on Wednesday. 

Photo: MIA archive