Minister Xhaçka at the Air Force Command: Security measures according to the legal framework with NATO

Published: Thursday, 11 April 2019 17:32

Minister of Defence Olta Xhaçka visited Air Force Command this Thursday, which is located few meters away from the International Airport “Mother Teresa” in Rinas.

From Wednesday evening, Military Police troops have been patrolling along the Airport security perimeter. The airport runway is used also for military flights by the Armed Forces and NATO member states. Meanwhile, Special Forces Battalion troops are kept in state of readiness within the Air Force Command.

Defence Minister, after the meeting held with Air Force, Military Police and Special Forces leaders, responding to media interest said that the Law no. 8543, of 11/04/1999 “On the ratification of the agreement on the status of NATO and its staff”, obliges our country to guarantee at any time the use of airports, roads and other infrastructure necessary by NATO Alliance.

“Until the re-establishment of Airport security measures and its invulnerability, we will be here because we have a legal obligation, the ratified law of year 1999 on NATO status and its personalities. Article 11 of this law obliges us to guarantee the critical infrastructure and facilities of special importance, in this case, the Air Force Command and airport, which are in the function of NATO, its mission, its movements, therefore under the Alliance’ function. And we are obliged to be here,” - said the Defence Minister.

According to her, there is no deployment, but there is only added security to the perimeter of the Airport and Air Force Command, the security that Military Police has in its mission.
“We are not at war, we are not at a national security breach situation, where we needed to have received a parliamentary approval, but not the president’s one. Almost half of the runway is military infrastructure, so it belongs to the Air Force Command and the other half is for civil usage. “Mother Teresa” Airport is also a critical infrastructure of NATO as well, because there are military aircrafts which land there. At the same time, we have military presence even in the Civil Aviation Authority, and we have a “Host-nation support” unit that is a unit which facilitates all movements of military cargoes, military aircraft or NATO personalities, who for various reasons visit and come to our country. So this is a military infrastructure in part, and its vulnerability definitely affects us”, - argued further Minister Xhaçka.

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