“Starting from today, we are NATO” said Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski during the government’s session in Skopje and the acting Head of the Macedonian mission at the Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty – NATO, Zoran Todorov from the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, several moments after the Macedonian flag was raised with the flags of other 29 allies. With simultaneous ceremonies at the headquarters in Brussels,the Allied Command Operations (SHAPE) in Mons (Belgium) and Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia (United States), NATO official received its newest member.
-Welcome into the NATO family, North Macedonia! From today, North Macedonia’s flag will fly proudly alongside those of the other 29 members. This is indeed a historical moment. The road to membership has been long and challenging, but with courage and determination, you have done it, said NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during the ceremony in Brussels.
– At times like these, friends and Allies are more important than ever and North Macedonia now has the best friends and Allies in the world. We are all safer and stronger together than alone. So, welcome to NATO – said Stoltenberg.
Stoltenberg also published a column dedicated to Macedonia’s NATO accession.
The ceremony was attended by the President of the Military Committee, Marshal Stewart Peach, and the acting Head of the Macedonian Delegation at NATO, Zoran Todorov.
-here we are, we stand firm in front of NATO’s Headquarters, finally with all our allies. Our future is stable, and from now on we are not alone. We are NATO – said Todorov during the ceremony.
We are NATO, reminds the Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski from Skopje/
-Today we are accomplishing the biggest success since the moment when the independence was declared until today. The road was long, but the reward that we received today was deserved. Be proud – said Spasovski.
He stressed that today’s ceremony is a result of “historical decisions and key reforms” with which the government has moved the process forward towards the NATO accession.
Spasovski announced a successful ending of the EU accession process and the continuation of the processes to create an even better state.
