Ceremony for the inclusion of the Airspace of the Republic of Northern Macedonia (FIR Skopje) in the NATO Air Policing system – PHOTOS

Defence Redefined

Published on 12/12/2021 at 10:00

On Thursday, December 9, 2021, and in the context of the full integration of the Republic of Northern Macedonia into NATO, a ceremony to mark the inclusion of Skopje’s Airspace in the Alliance Air Policing System was held at the International Airport of Skopje. The ceremony constitutes part of the NATO events held for the celebration of 60 years of AIR POLICING Activities.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Defence Mr. Radmila Sekerinska as well as MPs and Government Officials of the Republic of Northern Macedonia, the Ambassador of Greece in Skopje, Mr. Roussos Koundouros, the US Ambassador to Skopje, Mrs. Kate Byrnes, the Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff, Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurchinovski, the Commander of Tactical Aviation, Lieutenant General Themistoklis Bourolias, and the Commander of the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at Torrejon, Air Marshal Fernando De La Cruz Caravaca.

As part of the event, a NATO E-3A (AWACS) Aircraft and 2 Greek F-16 Fighter Aircraft flew over the city and the Skopje Airport, while a simulated interception scenario was implemented in a Learjet-type civilian aircraft participating in the event, which was completed with a static demonstration of all aircraft.

It is noted that until the assumption of this responsibility by NATO, the Air Policing of the FIR Skopje had been undertaken by Greece, following the conclusion of a Technical Settlement Agreement between the two countries signed in September 2019.

Source: HNDGS

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