Today (26 June), Minister of Defence Vlado Misajlovski attended and addressed the closing ceremony of the Regional Specialized K9 Units Qualification Course, organized in the Lazaropole region by the Ministry of Interior and the OSCE Mission. The closing ceremony was also addressed by Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski, as well as the OSCE Ambassador Kilian Wahl.
In his address, the Minister expressed gratitude to the OSCE Mission for its continued support for the development of national security capacities and emphasized that the course was an example of building security in contemporary conditions of complex geopolitical challenges.
Misajlovski added that pooling the knowledge, resources and capacities of multiple institutions is more than necessary if sustainable security is desired.
"The Ministry of Defence and the Army were pleased to contribute to this training. Five members of the Army participated in the course, including instructors, service dog handlers from the Military Police and specialists from the Center for Breeding and Training of Service Dogs, along with two specially trained dogs for detecting weapons, ammunition and mines and explosive devices. Their participation is a confirmation that the Army is not only a guarantor of defence, but also an active partner in strengthening security through cooperation with all relevant institutions," said the Minister.
Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski said that modern security threats increasingly transcend national borders and that no country can independently deal with the challenges related to organized crime, illegal arms trade and drug smuggling. The ministry's vision, he said, is "continuously improving the capacities of K9 units and positioning them as one of the key segments in the regional security system."
OSCE Ambassador Wahl stressed that "this course is about practical security for the region and Europe. Better trained police forces mean fewer illegal weapons on the streets and a contribution to the security of all people."
