Naval Force ends up its mission in Aegean Sea, Xhaçka: Fleet will overhauled, Pashaliman, NATO Base

Published: Saturday, 14 December 2019 13:27

After 3 years and about 13,000 of patrolling hours in the Aegean Sea, the Navy has completed its contribution to NATO's “Sea Guardian " mission in the Aegean Sea.
The last contingent on board of the "Oriku" ship came home. It was held a welcoming ceremony attended by Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Bardhyl Kollçaku, Deputy Commander of the Navy, Captain 1st rank Artur Meçollari, senior Armed Forces military representatives and relatives at Durrës Port.

Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka praised the contribution of our seamen over the past three years, which helped the Navy to become more modern and professional.

"The overhauling began today. A lot work has been done in a long path to rebuild the fleet, either in terms of logistics and equipment, or in terms of expertise and human resources. My hope and wish is that more will be done in the future, especially after our proposal to transform Pashaliman into a strategic NATO Base. This is a development that would have the same impact on the development of the Armed Forces, and increase Albania's strategic importance to the Alliance, as well as the Kuçova Base on which work will begin early next year."- said Ms. Xhaçka, who singled out the contribution of the Albanian military also to cope with the consequences of the November 26 earthquake. “I know the personal drama of many of the Armed Forces personnel who lost their homes in the earthquake. And yet, each of them was in duty! So today I want to reassure you, any AAF servicemen, especially those on missions abroad: we will be close to your families, as a large family that cares for their own!"

During the last 3 years on this mission, Albanian crews and ships have carried out 178 operations, by rescuing or preventing about 3500 people, of whom 120 women, 220 children 38 of them infants.
In the mission of “Sea Guardian”, have served 14 contingents of 294 sailors, 3 ships of the Naval Force: "Oriku", "Butrint" and "Lissus".