At the initiative of the member companies of the Weapons Group, a working meeting was held at the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia to discuss the potential and real capacities of the industry in the Republic of North Macedonia for reviving defense-industry production—both in terms of final products and components for final military equipment—as well as the establishment of service-logistics centers for maintaining the military equipment of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Based on the rearmament plan promoted by EU, aimed at strengthening the defense readiness of EU countries by 2030, the question arises: at what level does the defense industry in the Republic of North Macedonia currently stand?

Under this plan, approximately EUR 800 billion will be mobilized, including EUR 150 billion in loans for projects related to the manufacture and procurement of weapons, with the goal of investing in defense and strengthening military capacities in EU countries over the next five years. “We believe this is a good moment to revive the defense industry in our country, rather than focusing exclusively on procuring defense systems for state needs,” said Dimitar Mangutov, President of the Weapons Group. “If our country aims to move toward reviving the defense industry, it must first prepare a strategy for renewing the military industry—through an analysis of the current situation and the definition of directions for development and modernization of the defense industry. With the promotion of EU’s plan to strengthen defense readiness, several countries have already elevated this issue to the level of a national rearmament strategy, while others have begun developing joint venture plans with renowned weapons manufacturers.”

Antoni Peshev, Executive Director of the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia, emphasized that due to geopolitical developments in the European Union and the conversion of their production capacities toward the defense sector, it is necessary for us as a state to devote greater attention to this area. “We need to assess our capacities—our machinery and human capital, everything we have at our disposal. The question is whether we, as a society, want to elevate this industry to a higher level; not merely engaging in the trade of military equipment, but also stimulating domestic production,” Peshev stated. He added that Chamber members have full institutional support: “We stand ready to assist with any institutional problem they encounter during their operations, with the ultimate goal of enabling a real revival of this industry as a comparative advantage for the wider economy.”

On the basis of the discussion, all companies agreed that it is necessary to establish a coordinating working body composed of representatives of relevant institutions, experts in the field, and experienced representatives of weapons and ammunition manufacturers, with the aim of preparing an appropriate strategy for reviving the military industry.