Honorable Members of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia,
Distinguished Attendees,
Dear Fellow Citizens,

As Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Macedonia, it is my distinct honor to greet you today, on the eve of the Day of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia, August 18th. A day which is inextricably linked to an important anniversary - 70 years since the establishment of the first battalion "Mirce Acev" in Slavej Planina. A battalion that became one of the pillars of the Macedonian Liberation and Anti-Fascist Struggle. A battalion which became integral part of the armed component of ASNOM Macedonia.

We have recently celebrated the day of freedom and light - Ilinden, aware that the struggle for a free and independent Macedonia was won with the formation of the National Liberation Army of Macedonia. Army that later bore the Army of the Republic of Macedonia, which would make proud today even the famous Ilinden and brave ASNOM fighters.

Distinguished Attendees,

I am proud of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia, which, by its professionalism, dedication and achievements, is consistently exceeding our expectations and the expectations of our NATO friends, partners and allies.

Our Army is valued and desirable partner of the Alliance. A partner that determinedly, firmly and persistently defends the shared values - peace, freedom and democracy.

This is proven by the consistent participation and numerous successful rotations in the peacekeeping missions: ISAF, EULEX and UNIFIL.

This is proven by the participation in military exercises in which the members of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia are regularly among the most prominent participants.

This is shown by the highest recognitions and decorations for Macedonian peacekeepers assigned by many political and military leaders worldwide.

I believe the day will come when these individual recognitions will be accompanied by the collective recognition that we deserve – full-fledged membership of the Republic of Macedonia in NATO. An aspiration that brings together all our citizens, regardless of their ethnic, religious or any other affiliation. We will continue to share responsibilities with our allies, although we do not enjoy the benefits of the full-fledged membership.

Esteemed Excellencies,

The secret of the success of the Army lies in its commitment to the reforms. Reforms that we implement for the purpose of interoperability with the structures we are striving to. Reforms that we implement primarily for us, for our safety and the safety of our children.
As we were ready to start, we should be ready to continue with the reforms. We should be aware that without continuous investment in the Army, the acquired reform condition can easily be lost.

As the armed forces have a constitutional obligation to protect the territorial integrity and independence of the Republic of Macedonia, we all have an obligation to provide better conditions for those protecting us and our children.

As Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, I am strongly convinced that the institutions in the Republic of Macedonia, responsible for providing finances, would take certain measures to improve the living standard of the members of our Army. Despite the economic challenges faced by many fellow citizens, we should appropriately repay our sons and daughters who have been and will remain guarantors of the independence of the Republic of Macedonia.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the end, congratulating you the 21st birthday, I congratulate all members of the Army of Republic of Macedonia, all promoted and newly appointed officers, soldiers and civilians serving in the Army of Republic of Macedonia. I congratulate and thank you for your professionalism in carrying out your responsible duty, but above all for your solidarity and loyalty to the homeland.

Macedonia is a land of the brave. Therefore, I want you to know that in the eyes of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, of our children and our friends, partners and allies, you, the members of the Army, are a synonym of the Macedonian bravery.

Happy Day of the Army, August 18!
Long live the Army of the Republic of Macedonia!
Long live the Republic of Macedonia!