Skopje, 24 January 2024 (MIA) - No decision or process can be completed if the right decisions are not taken at the right time. The decision over our membership in the Alliance through the signing of the Prespa Agreement in 2018 and the subsequent adoption of the constitutional changes proved to be the right and wise decision at the right time, a decision that has secured our country's future, Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska told a panel on NATO within conference "Year of European Opportunities" on Wednesday.

Minister Petrovska said the fastest and most visible example of North Macedonia's NATO accession is the Army transformation, along with the adoption of the long-term plans and their successful realization.

"Nevertheless, an Army cannot be successful if you invest in equipment alone, without considering the human potential. Besides the military aspect, we are trying to introduce the membership benefits through the education projects but also in bringing domestic companies closer to the Alliance market," said Petrovska.

She referred to the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022 and its impact on North Macedonia if it failed to join NATO.

"In February 2022, the world woke up in disbelief by seeing the unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine, violating its territorial integrity and democratic rights. North Macedonia provided support to Ukraine since the very beginning, and we are still doing this in every possible way. If we hadn't been an Alliance member that year, no minister would have been able to say that North Macedonia is safe from the aspect of conventional threats because of its NATO membership. Everyone talked about the importance of the country's NATO accession for 30 years, but 2018 was key in taking this difficult but important political decision," said Petrovska.

On announcements coming from NATO over large investments in ammunition and arms production and if North Macedonia could take part in this, the Defense Minister said there are several private military industry companies operating in the country.

"Our priority is to support these companies, aware of the unfortunate challenge we face - the rising need of armament and equipment for armies," noted Petrovska.

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