EPI selected the researchers who will study the effects of Macedonia’s NATO accession

Republic of Macedonia’s accession to NATO.

MA Ivana Velkovska, an economic researcher at the Center for Economic Analyses, will explore the economic benefits and challenges of joining NATO. The purpose of the research will be to determine the existence of causality and to re-examine the popular categorical assertion that entry in NATO promotes economic growth. At the same time the importance of political stability will be studied (assuming that it is secured with NATO membership) as one of the main preconditions for economic growth.

MA Timurlenk Cekovic, a researcher with experience in the security sector, will investigate the effects on the security of the Republic of Macedonia, from the accession of the country in NATO. The study will cover several aspects:
• ● NATO membership as a method of protection of the territorial integrity, economic prosperity and collecting and gathering and sharing useful information to better address the risks facing the Republic of Macedonia;
• ● Security risks of non-accession of the Republic of Macedonia in alliance with NATO and advantage of accession with airspace control by NATO members;
• ● Method of setting up and checking the accession model, as well as a comparison in model testing with countries that do not access in military alliances;
• ● Expected effects on the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia and influence on the society.
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The researches will be presented at a public debate to be held in December.

The researchers were selected after an open call within the framework of the “Civic Debate on NATO” project, implemented by the EPI, and funded by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Macedonia. The overall goal of the project is to contribute to NATO accession through evidence-based debate and arguments that will improve citizens’ understanding of Macedonia’s NATO membership.