General Begaj: The US gives Albania 17 million dollars for the army

After a meeting at the Pentagon with US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, General Begaj said in an interview with VOA that the United States has recently provided $ 17 million to the Albanian military. General Milley’s office said that the meeting discussed Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the responses of the United States and Albania.

General Begaj spoke in the interview with his colleague Keida Kostreci about the purchase of Javelin missiles and said that Albania will continue to play its role for stability in the region.

Voice of America: Mr. Begaj, you have just met the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army, General Milley. Can you tell us some details from this meeting?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: Thank you. It is a pleasure for me to participate in this interview and it is also a pleasure to meet the Chief of Staff of America, General Milley. The topics of discussion were comprehensive. They had to do with the cooperation between our two countries, they had to do with the situation in Ukraine and the future of our cooperation. We talked with General Milley about the contribution given by the American state to the Albanian Armed Forces and the history of cooperation is 30 years. We are in the American week of cooperation and the 100th anniversary of Albania-America diplomatic relations. I think the cooperation in the military field has been excellent. The United States has helped us modernize and restructure our armed forces. The modernization programs, which have been in collaboration with the U.S. Office of Cooperation, are ongoing. In addition to contributing to the increase of the country’s defense force with new equipment, we also contribute with various trainings, equipment maintenance and various exercises. Over the past year we have hosted the Defender-21 exercise, which was a success story related to military cooperation. With this exercise, not only did we have the US military present on our soil, but the geostrategic role and geographical position of Albania was also tested, as well as national capacities, whether military or civilian, in terms of using this infrastructure in the military direction.

Voice of America: The meeting comes at a very challenging time in the international arena, because it comes at a time when there is war in Europe, the biggest conflict since World War II. Specifically regarding this conflict, what was discussed today in this meeting?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: The Defender-21 exercise tested all capabilities for rapid transport of Allied troops and vehicles, using ports, airports and land in Albania, to cross as quickly as possible to the Black Sea part and the Eastern European part. The situation now in Ukraine is such that Ukraine is being attacked unjustifiably and unprovoked by another state and we discussed at length about cooperation on how Albania would contribute more in terms of supporting Ukraine.

Voice of America: General, Albania has helped Ukraine, there have been several diplomatic initiatives but also military. What assistance has it provided and what will be the further assistance from Albania to Ukraine?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: Albania has assisted and supported Ukraine diplomatically, politically and militarily. In the diplomatic plan at the United Nations in every resolution that has been held for Ukraine, it has found support and we are co-supporters of these resolutions, together with the United States of America. We also had political support for the fact that the Albanian government has imposed sanctions against Russia for unjustified and unfounded aggression against Ukraine. The Albanian government has also expressed readiness to hold Ukrainian refugees and has provided humanitarian assistance of various kinds. In the military plan, this support has been realized through donations made by the Albanian government, which are different types of ammunition that we have had in use and stock in our depots of the armed forces.

Voice of America: What about further?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: We are thinking of another support with assistance which will be in the coming days after the decision of the Albanian government and I believe it will continue in the future. The task force gathered today has decided that Ukraine is in need of many items and based on a list of all the items they are looking for we will highlight our situation and give maximum support.

Voice of America: Albania is one of the countries benefiting from US funding for Ukraine and security. What is this US assistance to Albania?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: We have a military cooperation office with the United States, which is located in the Albanian Ministry of Defense and this office coordinates all budgets, which are provided by the American state to help the Albanian armed forces. These budgets are divided into two categories. One budget is grants which are free to increase the country’s defense power and another category, which is with shared budgets, which help strengthen our defense capabilities. And this time the US state has allocated a grant budget of 17 million dollars to increase the defense force of the armed forces and increase defense capabilities. I emphasize that any budget for the modernization of the Albanian Armed Forces goes to increase our defense capabilities. We have no intention of aggression or declaring war on anyone. We are simply in what NATO as an alliance required, to do protection and discouragement for every enemy or every adversary.

Voice of America: One of the last contracts of the American government, which also includes Albania, is for equipping Javelin missile systems. Ukraine has used these missiles, but Albania is one of the countries that will receive a quantity of missiles. Can you tell us something in more detail, what it’s all about?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: Albania will receive from Lockheed Martin a quantity of Javelin type anti-aircraft missiles, which will increase our anti-aircraft defense power. As I mentioned before, this type of supply of these military products will increase the country’s defense power and will never be for other purposes, so it will only be for defensive purposes and as capabilities that can be used anywhere and anytime. will require alliances.

Voice of America: Also in Albania, the advanced headquarters of the American special forces in Europe has recently started working. Albania will be one of the bases. What will it serve concretely in cooperation not only with the United States but also in the framework of NATO, but also of course in the context of security in the region?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: Not only is the advanced headquarters of the Balkan Special Forces task force located in Albania, but also SFAB-I (US Command Europe Security and Assistance Brigade) which is an advisory team. Both together will help, will advise those units of the Albanian armed forces which have been declared in NATO as national capabilities, to be used in NATO where needed. Of course, in order to be used in NATO, these units, these forces must be certified and accredited. SFAB and Task Group Balkans of special forces will make it possible for these Albanian military units to be in the right capacities and the right levels required to participate in the mission.

Voice of America: There was a plan a few years ago to get some Black Hawk helicopters from the United States. Where does this project stand?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: In the increase of the capacities of the air force (of Albania) is introduced not only the radar but also the equipment with military means, such as Black Hawk. I believe that next year Albania will have the first two Black Hawks in the country. What is important to mention is that these capacities that are trying to be created in Albania, not only with the funds of the United States of America, but also through the defense budget, which according to the Wales Summit has come over the years increased to 2 percent, it will be possible for these capacities to be not only as capacities in equipment but to be as a package together with the trainings, with the maintenance to have a longer duration and a greater usability.

Voice of America: This situation that has been created in Europe, how has it changed the way the members of the Albanian army are prepared, not only militarily, physically, but also morally, psychologically?

Gen. Bajram Begaj: This situation which happened in Ukraine, is a situation which has been realistically assessed by the Albanian armed forces. We are focused on increasing the responsibility of the Albanian Armed Forces, to do the job as well as possible, to be as committed as possible and to create those operational capacities that are needed in cases of such an event. We hope that the Western Balkans, despite being an assessed calm situation, is a region that is fragile and we need to be very well focused. And for this the armed forces and the Albanian state do the job very well, it is an exporter of peace. We have contributed to various operations and missions of the alliance and in Kosovo, in KFOR we have our troops which are there participating in missions every six months and our contributions to NATO, not only in KFOR are welcomed by NATO.

Voice of America: Gen. Begaj, thank you for the interview.

Gen. Bajram Begaj: Thank you. It is a pleasure for me and a privilege to be here and give an interview to VOA.

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