Krivolak, 27 April 2026 (MIA) — Macedonian troops are operating at the highest NATO levels of readiness, Minister of Defense Vlado Misajlovski said Monday at the Distinguished Visitors Day closing of the army's Flash 26 military exercise.

Speaking at the Krivolak training ground, Misajlovski said the country’s Light Infantry Battalion Group has been officially certified as combat-ready following a rigorous NATO evaluation.

"You are truly the pride of our country," the defense minister told participants. "We all witnessed not only a demonstration of capabilities but also of discipline, precision and true professionalism." 

The evaluation was conducted throughout April and measured the unit against 799 specific NATO criteria. The evaluation team, monitored by NATO observers, concluded that the battalion was fully capable of carrying out alliance missions.

Misajlovski credited the success to the soldiers' professionalism and the army's modernization program. He noted that 32.5% of the defense budget was now dedicated to new equipment, including armored vehicles, drones, engineering machinery and improved cyber defense.

The Flash 26 exercise involved a complex, fictitious combat scenario designed to test the army's responsiveness. More than 1,500 army members took part in 25 major events and over 100 simulated incidents. The goal was to measure their interoperability with NATO allied forces.

"We have full interoperability, which allows us to defend what we hold most sacred: our freedom, homeland, democracy. Let us defend our values, which are rooted in Macedonian society," the defense minister said.

He added that the government remains committed to investing in the army, citing global instability as a primary reason to strengthen national security.

"We will continue procuring new equipment, we will continue training and drills and we will continue taking care of each army member because their motivation and dedication are the key ingredients for a strong army," Misajlovski said. mr/