"By marking ARM's 20th jubilee, we want to observe all milestones throughout the development of the armed forces. History teaches us that valuable things cannot be created overnight. It takes time to grow, to reach maturity and enormous efforts to be made by several generations of men, women, soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers, civil servants, state leaderships regardless their ethnic and religious background. Macedonia's defense system has underwent many transformations and reforms in order to become what it is today. I am proud that ARM is part of international missions," Defense Minister Fatmir Besimi said in his address.

You, he stressed, are the best ambassadors for the cause advocated by the citizens of Macedonia - global peace and stability and development.

"ARM enjoys high credibility and trust amongst citizens and as an institution serves as an example of coexistence and mutual respect and building of trust between citizens of all ethnic and religious communities by engaging members of all ethnic communities," Besimi stated.

He pledged that efforts would be made in the future to make Macedonia recognizable after its contribution to global peace and as a partner for development of global stability while being fully prepared to join NATO.

Chief of the ARM General Staff, Major General Goranco Koteski said that generations of army staff had made great efforts in order ARM to be transformed into a modern and respectable force at home and internationally in the past 20 years.

3.000 service members have been deployed in peace missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, BiH and Lebanon since 2002.