In his column for CIVIL MEDIA, Professor Dr. Oliver Andonov argues that North Macedonia needs to urgently rethink defence as a society-wide system of resilience, preparedness and institutional capacity, rather than treating it primarily as a matter of military readiness.

For Andonov, a full professor at the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” in Skopje, peace should not be understood simply as the absence of armed conflict, nor security merely as protection from conventional military attack. Modern threats can undermine a society without open warfare, through hybrid operations, disinformation, pressure on institutions, disruption of critical infrastructure and other forms of destabilisation.

That makes resilience one of the central elements of contemporary defence.

Andonov warns that North Macedonia remains insufficiently prepared for this broader security environment. Russian hybrid threats and malign propaganda are among the challenges he identifies, but his central concern goes further: the country lacks a sufficiently developed system that would allow institutions and citizens to function effectively during a major security crisis or armed conflict.

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Defence is more than the Army

One of Andonov’s main arguments is that a positive assessment of an individual military unit or the operational readiness of the Army cannot by itself be treated as evidence of an effective national defence system.

Defence, he argues, also depends on the preparedness of the population, functioning reserve structures, mobilisation procedures, protection of critical infrastructure, civil protection and the capacity of state institutions to continue operating during emergencies.

The fundamental question, in his view, is whether citizens know what would be expected of them in the event of aggression or war: where they should go, what role they would have and how the country would transition from peacetime operations to a wartime system.

He considers the current situation particularly problematic because recruitment and mobilisation systems have been neglected for years, while the debate over the structure and purpose of military reserves has remained largely unresolved.

Critical infrastructure

A major priority, Andonov argues, should be the adoption of a modern Law on Critical Infrastructure, an issue he says he has been publicly advocating and pressing for more than a year.

He recalls that he had already warned of the urgent need for such legislation, stressing that the prolonged delay has cost valuable time at a moment when the protection of critical infrastructure is becoming increasingly important for both national defence and societal resilience.

Andonov stresses that protecting infrastructure essential to state and societal functioning is not a secondary security issue. Transport, communications, energy, public services and other critical systems are necessary not only for everyday life but also for mobilisation, defence operations and the continuity of government during a major crisis.

He therefore calls for urgency, but also for greater transparency in the drafting process, a clear timetable for completion, and meaningful public and expert debate before the legislation is adopted.

The process, he notes, should incorporate European expertise and contemporary EU security and defence standards, including input from European experts already involved in advising on the legislation.

A new system of military and civil service

Another major recommendation is the adoption of a new, modern law regulating service in wartime conditions, distinct from the legislation governing professional service in the Army.

Andonov proposes restoring a comprehensive recruitment system that would allow the state to understand its available human resources, including citizens’ professional skills, education, expertise and other capacities relevant in an emergency.

Importantly, recruitment would not automatically mean military service.

A modern national defence system, he argues, should determine how citizens could contribute across a range of institutions and functions. Some might serve in the Army or military reserve, while others could be assigned to police reserves, civil protection, security institutions, medical services, logistics, communications or other essential functions.

The underlying principle is that a serious national emergency requires coordinated participation across society, rather than relying exclusively on professional military personnel.

Training the population

Andonov also advocates the introduction of a modern form of compulsory defence training.

Such training, in his proposal, would not necessarily resemble lengthy traditional military service. Instead, it could be relatively short and focused on practical skills required in modern crises.

He identifies several essential areas: individual defence skills, first aid and medical preparedness, protection from chemical, biological and radiological threats, and training in the use of drones.

Specialised training would also be necessary for personnel expected to work in the Army, police, security services or civil protection structures.

Civil preparedness should include warning systems, evacuation procedures, search and rescue, clearing damaged areas, shelter organisation, food supply and medical care for affected populations.

Andonov emphasises that trained commanders and managers are equally important. Institutions need people capable of planning operations, leading units, organising headquarters and making decisions under difficult and rapidly changing conditions.

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Defence industry and technology

The column also argues for strengthening North Macedonia’s domestic defence-industrial capacity.

Andonov proposes creating state-owned enterprises in selected areas of the defence industry, establishing partnerships with existing private companies and actively attracting investment from defence companies based in allied countries.

The purpose would not only be the production or maintenance of military equipment.

Such investment could help create domestic expertise in military engineering, advanced technologies and specialised industrial production, thereby reducing vulnerabilities while developing a new generation of skilled personnel.

Cooperation with NATO allies and other partner countries should be an integral part of this effort.

Time is becoming a strategic factor

The overarching warning in Andonov’s analysis is that North Macedonia cannot assume that defence preparedness can be built quickly once a crisis has already begun.

The Ministry of Defence, he argues, should undertake serious analyses and prepare rapid, coordinated plans for strengthening both defence capacity and societal resilience.

Building such a system would take years.

According to Andonov, intensive and systematic work could produce visible improvements in the Army, police and key institutions within two to three years. Developing a well-trained population and creating deeper societal resilience would take considerably longer.

His final message is therefore primarily about time and preparedness.

Modern defence is no longer limited to weapons, soldiers and military formations. It requires resilient institutions, protected infrastructure, trained citizens, functioning mobilisation systems, civil defence capacity, technological competence and a population that understands its role in a national emergency.

For North Macedonia, Andonov argues, building that system should be treated as an urgent strategic priority.

Editor’s note: Prof. Dr. Oliver Andonov is a full professor at the “General Mihailo Apostolski” Military Academy in Skopje and a regular columnist and contributor to CIVIL MEDIA and CIVIL Today, writing extensively on defence, security, politics, geopolitical affairs and hybrid threats. He also contributes expert assessments and analyses to CIVIL Hybrid Threats Monitoring (CHTM), including on Russian malign influence and hybrid operations in North Macedonia, the Western Balkans and Europe. Andonov is a co-founder and leader of the intra-party Faction for Democratisation and Revitalisation of VMRO-DPMNE.

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