Engagement of the armed forces in support of civilian autorities in crisis situation and state of emergency

For the need ofengagement of theArmed Forces in support of civilian authorities and citizens is a topic on which there is a comprehensive consensus both at the national level and within the NATO member states. Controversy over the mechanisms of engagement, the precise definition of tasks, and the duration of the engagement of the Armed Forces.The Army of the Republic of North Macedonia supports the civilian component of the defense system in conditions when the other state institutions (including local self-government) will not be able to cope with the crisis, when there are threats to critical infrastructure and when the security and borders of the country are endangered. Whenever support is sought from the Army, it should be borne in mind that Armed Forces units should not be the first responder. The Armed Forces has to be engaged only in a situation where the crisis or state of emergency exceeds the capacities and capabilities of other state institutions and local authorities. The situation caused by the COVID 19 outbreak put to the test the civil readiness and resilience of the society in dealing with such situations and brought to the surface the necessity of engaging the capacities and capabilities of the Armеd Forces in different circumstances. Also, there was a need for normative and legal regulation of engagement of the Armed Forces units in support of civilian authorities and citizens in peacetime, in natural disasters, in crisis and state of emergency, as well as to prevent its possible abuse. The need for building resilience and response mechanisms in case of natural disasters and emergencies are an active component both at the national level of each country and in the context of integral and solidarity engagement of the Alliance. NATO’s approach to building resilience is based on the concepts of the Whole of Government Approach and the Whole of Society Approach