A flag-raising ceremony to mark the accession of the Republic of Macedonia to NATO took place at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Monday afternoon.

The anthem of the Republic of Macedonia was played during the flag raising.

Before the solemn flag-raising ceremony, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed our country into the North Atlantic Alliance.

We are gathered here today to welcome Macedonia into the NATO family by raising the flag. Thirty flags will now be flying together as a symbol of our unity and solidarity. This is a historic moment for Macedonia and comes after years of dedication and commitment to reforms, Stoltenberg said.

He stressed that the Prespa Agreement enabled NATO accession and provided good neighborly relations and bright future for Macedonia.

Your hard work has made this day possible. This is good for stability, security and peace throughout the Western Balkans, Stoltenberg said.

He emphasized that in times like this, friends and allies are more important than ever, and Macedonia has the best friends and allies in the world. We are stronger together. Welcome to NATO !, Stoltenberg said.

On March 27, Macedonia became NATO’s newest member, upon depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the US State Department in Washington DC. NATO Allies signed North Macedonia’s Accession Protocol in February 2019, after which all 29 national parliaments voted to ratify the country’s membership.