Slovenia donates protective equipment to North Macedonia
Skopje, 3 April - Slovenia has donated to North Macedonia protective equipment worth EUR 110,000 to help the country fight the new coronavirus, the Slovenian Defence Ministry said on Friday. The package for the Macedonian Interior Ministry includes 100,000 protective masks and 100,000 protective gloves, the Macedonian press agency MIA reported.
Ljubljana
A lorry brings a shipment of protective face masks donated by Alibaba and Jack Ma.
Photo: Nebojša Tejić/STA
"The donation comes at a crucial moment. I'd like to thank Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša and our Slovenian friends. Every donation counts and will help our daily efforts to protect police officers working round the clock who are exposed to the risk of infection with the new coronavirus," said Interior Minister Nakje Chulev, who accepted the shipment at Skopje airport today.
Slovenian Ambassador to North Macedonia Milan Jazbec was also present. "I am honoured that we are the first EU and NATO member to have made a bilateral donation to the police force," he was quoted as saying by MIA.
According to the Slovenian Defence Ministry, Slovenia has responded to a request for aid that North Macedonia addressed through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Chulev said that his ministry was currently focusing on exercising oversight of the implementation of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country, and on providing enough protective gear for its staff.
According to data by the Macedonian Health Ministry, 430 coronavirus infections have so far been recorded in the country, while 13 people have died.