Twenty-five cadets from Macedonia, three each from Bosnia&Herzegovina and Montenegro, and four from Kosovo, along with four students enrolled in the course for pilots were sworn in at Skopje-based Military Academy "General Mihajlo Apostolski" on Monday.

After the completion of four-year studies, the cadets will acquire rank Second Lieutenant, whereas the course attendees will become army pilots.

Defense Minister Fatmir Besimi told the cadets to be courageous and professional, possess a positive spirit of knowledge and cooperation, but also mutual respect.

"We are continuing to build good neighborly relations in our efforts to regain the epithet leader of regional defense cooperation. We are educating professionals who will work shoulder to shoulder with their regional counterparts within a collective security system such as NATO. Today you are officers of partner-countries, tomorrow you will be NATO officers", stressed Besimi.

Dean Rose Smileski said the Military Academy has grown into a regional institution, which "is a blessing, but also enormous commitment".