North Macedonia Offers Civilian Status to Professional Soldiers Turning 45

North Macedonia's Defence Ministry has signed employment contracts with professional soldiers who have turned 45, under which they will work as civilian staff at the ministry. Their status will be converted to civilian personnel in the Army of North Macedonia. Previously, these soldiers had planned to leave their posts and receive severance pay, known as kıdem tazminatı.

According to the ministry, soldiers will not leave their positions but will continue working as civilian staff after turning 45 until they retire. The reform, the result of joint work with union representatives and the General Staff, ends years of uncertainty and gives soldiers the option to move from fixed-term to indefinite contracts. Existing legal options remain in force, including severance equal to two average salaries for each year served in the army and transfers to state and local government bodies.

The ministry and the General Staff stated that there is no better-qualified, more experienced and better-trained personnel than those who have spent their careers in the army to perform these duties. Officials said professional soldiers are one of the basic pillars of the country's security.