Today (16 February), the State Secretary in the Ministry, Elizabeta Chupovska-Ristova, met with the State Secretary of the Slovenian Ministry of Defense, Boštjan Pavlin, who is visiting the country. Chupovska-Ristova and State Secretary Pavlin discussed strengthening the allied Macedonian-Slovenian cooperation in key areas of defense, such as the implementation of NATO Capability Targets, the development of military industry and efforts for adaptation of the defense sector to the changing security environment.
"Slovenia is a proven and reliable partner and ally. Last year, we had a successfully implemented plan for bilateral cooperation, and this year we are planning more than 20 joint activities, including in the area of crisis management and the military specialized industry. We greatly appreciate your willingness to share your experience in acquisition processes, which is of great help to us, as well as in the area of updating defense strategic documents," said Chupovska-Ristova at the meeting. The State Secretary added that the country remains committed to meeting NATO's Capability Targets, which strengthens national and regional security, while at the same time strengthening the collective defense of the Alliance.
We are convinced of the potential for continued development of our bilateral cooperation, said Chupovska-Ristova, adding that both countries are successfully contributing to strengthening NATO's security and stability.
The State Secretary of the Slovenian Ministry of Defense, Pavlin, expressed his gratitude for the meeting and said that Slovenia is our sincere partner, friend and ally that will continue to support us in the development of defense capabilities and capacities. Regarding the Bilateral Cooperation Plan for 2026, Pavlin said that after its finalization and signing, the cooperation between our two countries will gain even greater momentum, and thus we will show that we are jointly building capacities to strengthen the security of our citizens.
Macedonian-Slovenian defense cooperation dates back to 1994, when the Framework Agreement for Cooperation between the respective Ministries of Defense of the two countries was signed. Bilateral cooperation is conducted in several areas of defense, including joint exercises and training, expert discussions, cooperation in the field of air defense, logistics and public procurement, military intelligence, the NATO planning process, and more.
