Macedonian Minister of Interior PancheToshkovski addressed the opening session on Monday of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED)’s evaluation and assessment visit taking place in Skopje from November 2 to November 6.
The United Nations delegation is led by the Deputy Executive Director of CTED, Carmen Cantor.
The purpose of the visit is to assess the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, examine national capacities and challenges in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, and identify opportunities to further enhance the institutional response and international cooperation.
In his address, Minister Toshkovskisays that the visit represents a significant opportunity for a comprehensive assessment of the country’s progress, especially considering that the last such evaluation was conducted in 2011.
The minister noted that, in the recent period, mechanisms for inter-institutional coordination, the exchange of operational information, and cooperation among the police, intelligence services, and border management authorities have been strengthened. At the same time, special attention is being devoted to the prevention of violent extremism, the early identification of radicalization, deradicalization, and resocialization, through the engagement of local communities, educational institutions, and the civil sector.
Addressing future priorities, Toshkovski announced the adoption of a revised National Strategy for Countering Terrorism, with a particular focus on digital radicalization and emerging security threats.
“Terrorist threats are increasingly shifting into the digital space. Consequently, we have already initiated the process of establishing a specialized National Unit for monitoring and suppressing terrorist content online. In parallel, we are planning inter-institutional simulation exercises focused on protecting critical infrastructure and addressing hybrid threats, which will also involve the private sector,” Minister Toshkovskinoted.