The government of the Republic of North Macedonia held an extraordinary session this afternoon, with the aim of providing emergency aid to the Republic of Turkey, after the catastrophic earthquake that hit the country with great human losses, injured citizens, as well as great material damage.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that there are citizens from North Macedonia in the affected areas in Turkey, who are in safe locations and among whom there are no casualties or injuries. According to the information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Honorary Consulate has prepared plans for accommodation, emergency medical assistance and support with food and drinks for our citizens, if the need arises.

The government tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the diplomatic consular representations of the Republic of North Macedonia in the Republic of Turkey (Ankara and Istanbul), to coordinate the activities for the evacuation of the citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia from the affected areas.

The government, at the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at today's 126th session, adopted the following conclusions:

- The Ministry of Finance is obliged to prepare and submit to the Government a decision on the approval of funds from the reserves of the Budget of the Republic of North Macedonia for 2023, in the amount of six million denars to help the victims of the catastrophic earthquake;
- The Directorate for Protection and Rescue and the Center for Crisis Management, in coordination with the Minister of Internal Affairs, Oliver Spasovski, are tasked to urgently prepare and submit to the Government an appropriate decision for sending forces/teams for protection and rescue, which will be involved in the affected areas, as well as a decision to send humanitarian aid for protection and rescue to the Republic of Turkey;
- The Ministry of Defense, within its competences, is obliged to urgently prepare and submit to the Government a decision on providing adequate assistance in personnel, equipment in the form of mechanization, tents, mattresses, blankets, heaters and other appropriate assistance;
- The Ministry of Health, within its competences, is obliged to urgently prepare and submit to the Government a decision on the provision of assistance in the form of medical personnel, medical equipment and medicines;
- It is recommended that the Red Cross of the Republic of North Macedonia, within its legal competences and opportunities, in cooperation with the competent institutions, be involved in the action to provide assistance to the victims, by sending teams and other types of humanitarian aid, appropriate for such natural disasters;
- The General Secretariat of the Government, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is obliged to undertake activities in the direction of the immediate transfer of the approved funds from the Budget, as well as to maintain regular communication with the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in the Republic of North Macedonia, in order to implement the decision .

The government, at the suggestion of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue, made a decision to send 40 people from the Directorate for Protection and Rescue - members of the Republic's forces for protection and rescue - to remediate the consequences of the earthquake in Turkey.

The Directorate for Protection and Rescue provides complete specialized equipment and material-technical means for search and rescue from ruins, six vehicles for transporting equipment and people and two firefighting vehicles.

The financial costs for this purpose will be provided from the funds of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue.

The government, at the proposal of the Ministry of Defense, made a decision to send humanitarian aid for protection and rescue to the Republic of Turkey, namely 10.000 blankets and 200 medical stretchers.

The government, also at the proposal of the Ministry of Defense, made a decision to send a protection and rescue team from the Ministry of Defense to the Republic of Turkey, to participate in providing assistance to the Republic of Turkey.

A total of 24 members of the Ministry of Defense - Army of the Republic of North Macedonia are being sent to clean up the consequences of the earthquake, of which 22 are from the Special Forces Battalion and two service dog handlers, with two dogs, from the Training Command and doctrines of the Ministry of Defense.

The financial costs for this purpose will be provided from the Ministry of Defense's own funds.