A military ceremony, attended by numerous high-profile guests and representatives of state institutions and political parties, was held on Tuesday at the Military Stadium in Skopje to observe the Day of the Army of Macedonia (ARM), 18 August, the day on which back in 1944 fighters from Macedonia established the battalion Mirce Acev. President of Macedonia and Supreme Commander of ARM Stevo Pendarovski presented at the ceremony the Order of Military Merit to the Battalion for Military Medical Support, the 3rd Infantry Battalion of 1st Infantry Brigade and the US Embassy’s Office of Defence Cooperation. “North Macedonia marks its first-ever Army Day as a NATO member, which is a historic success, but also a huge responsibility. Investing in the development and modernization of the armed forces will continue to be officials’ top priority. We have to modernize the Army. My top priority as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces is to help realize the idea to invest at least 2 % of the GDP in Army development and modernisation, a goal which I expect the new government to back. Citizens’ trust in institutions can be achieved only by implementing responsible policies and prosecuting those who break the law. A country where people aren’t treated equally before the law and political power is used for personal gain has no prospects,” Pendarovski said in his address.