At the official ceremony with the highest state and military honors, President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova welcomed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who is on his first official visit.
Siljanovska-Davkova and Rutte held a tete-a-tete meeting, followed by a plenary meeting of the Macedonian and NATO delegations.
According to the President, the visit of the NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, at a time of growing unpredictable challenges, is a clear confirmation of the importance of allied solidarity and shared responsibility within NATO.
She informed the Secretary General about the session of the Security Council held on Sunday, which concluded that despite the currently stable internal situation, there is a need for ongoing monitoring of the galloping events and a timely and appropriate response.
The President pointed to the Macedonian dedicated and consistent behavior towards the commitments undertaken at the Summit in The Hague and Wales in terms of allocating GDP for defense.
She also stressed the active role of the Macedonian army in international combat missions, aimed at deterrence and joint defense of the NATO area. The support of Ukraine was also pointed out in the talks.
At the meeting, the Secretary General confirmed the significant Macedonian role in the security of the Western Balkans, stating that the region is of strategic importance and the Alliance will not allow a security vacuum to arise.
Both agreed on the urgency of integrating the Western Balkans into the EU, as the most appropriate solution for resilience to third influences, but also security not only in the Western Balkans, but also in Europe.
Below is the integral statement of President Siljanovska-Davkova:
Dear media representatives,
Allow me once again to welcome NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte.
We are facing global uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, war on the European soil, cyber threats, hybrid threats, threats from disinformation, and that is why I think that Secretary General Rutte’s visit, which unfortunately coincides with serious security challenges (the galloping military actions in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf), is for me a clear confirmation of the importance of allied solidarity and shared responsibility.
I have already informed Mr. Rutte that it is for these reasons that I convened the Security Council this Sunday. Such complex security circumstances require vigilance, preparedness, strengthened activities of early warning instruments, as well as stronger and sustainable investments in defense capabilities.
At this point it is necessary within the NATO Alliance to overcome differences or to reconcile differences in order to ensure cohesion based on the common values and principles on which NATO is founded. Therefore, I repeat, the role of the Secretary General is particularly important.
I firmly believe that NATO is not only a military alliance, but also a community of shared values, of shared responsibility, but also, most importantly, of a common vision for a secure future and we continue to be a responsible member of the NATO Alliance.
I want to remind you, or to note a few things:
As a credible ally, we are implementing the Defense Investment Plan, including the conclusion of the Hague Summit to allocate a certain percentage of GDP to defense by 2035. We are also meeting the Capability Goals. I emphasize, it is not a matter of percentages, two percent, five percent, and numbers, but of investment in common defense and security.
We have fulfilled the requirement from the Wales summit of 2% of GDP for defense (the Minister of Defense is here today) and of that, over 30% is intended for equipment and modernization, and modernization continues.
We actively contribute to deterring threats and protecting NATO’s defense position through the battle groups in Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania, the KFOR mission in Kosovo, the EU mission ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I think we are doing it successfully. In doing so, we clearly demonstrate that security is a shared responsibility.
Regarding Ukraine, we will continue our support, with faith in a possible agreement for a just and lasting peace.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize: I believed and still believe that the greatest guarantee for peace and security in the Western Balkans and for lasting resistance to influence from third powers, I conveyed this to the Secretary General, is its immediate and full political integration into the EU.
I expect that at the upcoming NATO Summit in 2026 in Ankara, special attention will be paid to the security situation in the Western Balkans, given the current events and challenges.
I point out that we must put an end to the artificial reasons and the reasons of a historical and identity nature for preventing regional membership in the EU and to concentrate on the Copenhagen criteria.
I responsibly assert that the greatest investment and guarantee, not only for our security, but also for the security of Europe as a whole, is our membership and the membership of the Western Balkans in the European Union.
Thank you.
