The values and principles that NATO was built on remain unchanged and are as relevant today as they were 75 years ago, NATO Headquarters Sarajevo Commander, Brigadier General Pamela McGaha said on Tuesday, at a ceremony in Sarajevo marking the 75th anniversary of NATO.

The event was organised under auspices of NATO HQ Sarajevo.

McGaha recalled in her address of NATO origins dating back to the period after the WWII, when the free countries of Europe and North America, in an effort to improve political and economic stability in the North Atlantic region, recognised that real peace implies more than just the absence of war.

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With the aim of achieving such peace, they reached a deal to oppose the aggression together and formed an alliance of 12 countries known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, she said, adding that since that moment in 1949 NATO has been securing the peace and freedom for its member states.

But, McGaha noted, the world has changed since 1949, especially in the past few years, but NATO has also become stronger, growing from 12 to 32 sovereign and independent nations and expanding its partnership with the countries around the world.

“We are still guided by the ideals of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. We are still united in our desire to prevent war and preserve peace. We continue to share a fundamental belief that we are stronger, safer and more prosperous together, whether as allies or as partners. For us here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that partnership continues to deepen,” McGaha was quoted as saying.

Bosnian Defence Minister Zukan Helez said on this occasion that over the last 75 years NATO has evolved into the strongest military-political alliance in the history of mankind.

“The area that was under the NATO protection has never suffered aggression in the last 74 years. Precisely for this reason, in order to protect the peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, our country strives for membership in the alliance. Today we celebrate 20 years of cooperation between our country and NATO. In those 20 years, our Armed Forces made a big step forward in professional development, competence building, mostly thanks to education, training and exercise programs,” said Helez.