NMacedonia-IMC-Baner

International Military Cooperation – North Macedonia – 2022

MILITARY EXERCISES

Besides joining the big multinational exercises organised by the U.S. Army Europe and Africa or NATO, North Macedonia hosted two big exercises in 2021. Decisive Strike 2021 was an exercise that was aimed at enhancing interoperability with forces of the USA Florida Army National Guard, Bulgaria and Greece. The Yearly Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) exercise was also held in Macedonia in 2021.

DONATIONS

The greatest portion of foreign donations to North Macedonia in the past three years were aimed at tackling the pandemic, since the COVID-19 related help came through the defence system. The largest single donation, consisting of 60 ventilators, was provided by USAID through the NATO Pandemic Response Trust Fund. Besides medical equipment, the United States of America also donated 1,200 M4 rifles. Norway donated a significant amount of medical equipment and supplies, as well as
equipment for the Military Academy. Even though the exact values are not publicly disclosed on the MoD website, Turkey has also made relevant donations in the past three years – rifles, an equipment transporter and uniforms.

TOP FOREIGN DONORS (2019-2021)

USAID (through NATO Pandemic Response Trust Fund)
EUR 1,400,000
United States of America
EUR 1,240,129
Norway
EUR 955,000

2022 – Balkan Defence Monitor
International Military Cooperation –
North Macedonia

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North-Macedonia-DE-Baner

Defence expenditures – North Macedonia – 2022

North Macedonian defence expenditure increased around 30% between 2017 and 2020. Further increases have been planned after the country became a member of NATO in 2020. Before that, it was spending roughly 1% on the military. Defence expenditure has taken up an increasing portion of the total government spending, from 2.7%in 2017 to 5% that was planned for 2022.

2021

Share of GDP 1.43%
Share of total government
expenditure 4.02%

The Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia usually adopts budget laws in late December, while balance sheets are adopted regularly, with some occasional delays. The MoD regularly publishes semi-annual budget realisation reports.


North Macedonian defence budget changed in 2021, as the country signed the contract to buy Stryker light armoured vehicles. This purchase altered the budget structure in favour of arms and equipment.

Similar to other countries in the region, North Macedonia uses programme budgeting, which is not sufficiently disaggregated. Budgets and balance sheets show highly aggregated sums for different programmes, and sources of funding are presented for the entire MoD budget.

* Data for 2021 and 2022 are based on the last changes in the 2021 budgets and the initial budget laws for 2022.

2022 – Balkan Defence Monitor
Defence Expeditures – North Macedonia

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