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NATO started the works for the transformation of the Kuçova air base into a real base of its own.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said in his occasional speech that when this news became public three years ago, many did not believe it, but now the project is realized.
He said that the decision taken by NATO to select this space as a new environment for addressing security challenges, transforming it into a tactical air base of the alliance in the region, confirms the fact that small Albania is nevertheless an added value in this alliance and who believes in some principles and values worth fighting for.
“When you look at the Adriatic region, it is very important to keep the peace, that is why the Western Balkans are so critical. Our country is important as an influential point in the region. The decision taken by NATO to select this area as a new environment for addressing security challenges by transforming it into an alliance base in the region, confirms the fact that small Albania is an added value to this alliance, which also unites that believe in some values and principles that are worth fighting for. Of course, for us the news of this NATO decision-making was welcome, because it not only created a new value in our defense, but also conveyed a new energy in our effort to use with as much intelligence and pragmatism our strategic position in geographical aspect and our position in NATO in political and military terms, we know the size of our country and the volume of our contribution in relation to other countries, but thanks to the joint work and cooperation with the US, and their defense structures, yes we are aware that if we invest intelligently and address our path of strengthening and at the same time increasing the quality of our military forces we can be an added value of NATO with other projects. Today we are seeing the realization of a project that when it came as news we could not believe, that many comments were made 3 years ago, when the news became public, that it seemed as if this moment would never come, that Kuçova would return to the air base . The Kuçova area will have a benefit coming from the sky in this case“, Said Rama.
Rama also said that he is discussing with the US Ambassador, Yuri Kim, regarding a project that has to do with the creation of a center of excellence of cyber defense not only for Albania but also as an added value for the whole of NATO.
“Today, together with the USA, through the engagement of the ambassador in a continuous mediation, we are talking about a project that has to do with the creation of a center of excellence in cyber defense, not only for Albania but also for NATO, it may seem unbelievable, as it seemed at the base but thanks to the right friendships and being in the right place, and thanks to the will to give another through Albania, we can make this a reality.
The Chief of Staff underlined an element that is the beginning of a thread that connects things together, Defender 21, from which we have learned important things to further improve and bring it back to 2023 and be a thread then connecting each 2 years of activity of the Armed Forces in the framework of NATO.
It is important for us on both sides, we still have a lot to gain from the future, of strengthening our position, for a significant weight in the framework of NATO and it is important because it gives us the opportunity to learn from the best. We will never be like the US, but being in such a good society we can improve. We have an FA that in terms of the weight of the numbers will be modest but in terms of quality can become a model. We are in a situation where in the general context of NATO we have accepted the constant increase of the defense budget, in order to qualitatively increase our human resources, by increasing their financial stimulus, and we have ambitions to increase every year, to be in the average of NATO “, said Rama.
The news about its construction was given on December 9 by the Minister, Niko Peleshi, who announced that the start of works for the Kuçova air base had been signed. Peleshi described it as the largest project in the field of infrastructure development.
According to him, this decision has brought good news for the families affected by the expropriation, assuring them that they will receive the best market value.
But, also, for Peles, it shows a strong point of Albania, worthy of being a NATO ally.
“This is a development, over 50 million euros investment, employment for the whole surrounding area“, He said.
The investment consists of the construction of armaments and fuel depots, armament stations, aircraft parking, anti-breakdown and fire station, reconstruction of the runway and control tower.
The contribution of the Albanian side goes to about 10% of the total value of the investment in this base, which with the NATO investment will turn into a deployable tactical base.
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