Skopje, 15 May 2025 (MIA) — Macedonian defense spending is higher than 2.5% of GDP although many other NATO countries' military expenditures are below the 2% threshold, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski told a press conference Thursday.

"Macedonia has long had a defense budget above two percent. And with our projects to modernize our army and infrastructure, these expenses will grow," PM Mickoski said.

He said the USA's new demands were not to raise NATO's defense spending target to 5% of GDP but instead for countries to commit to spending a minimum of 2% of their GDP to defense.

"We have been above that two percent for quite a while. Unfortunately, a large part of NATO member states are still below that two percent," the prime minister said.

He was speaking at a press conference held together with European Council President António Costa.

Costa is in Skopje for talks with Mickoski and President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, after he visited Belgrade and Sarajevo as part of his Western Balkans tour to discuss the EU's commitment to the region and its EU integration. mr/