Interview of Defence Minister Mimi Kodheli to “Top Channel” TV

Published: Wednesday, 12 March 2014 12:16

The interview given by Defence Minister Kodheli to "Top Channel" regards the National Security Council meeting, Military Strategy and Long-Term Development Plan of the Armed Forces

Mrs. Kodheli, your comment as Defence Minister regarding the Strategy and today’s National Security Council meeting?

First, let me tell you that the National Security Council meeting is an advisory organ to the President, while the Government’s program, for our first 300 days, has clearly defined the terms of preparation of all strategic documents, from the National Security document to the Military Strategy and Long-Term Development Plan of the Armed Forces, all of them within this year. It was very important for us to push this process, which unfortunately was already outdated, as you mentioned in your insert. The Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence have worked in the last 10 years with an outdated strategy and a strategy that did not reflect important events that occurred in Albanian politics and not, such as Albania’s membership in NATO, in 2009.

It's clearly seen and heard on media and political circles about the clashes between the President and new Government in many areas. Can you also say the same thing regarding your cooperation as Minister of Defence with the President of the Republic?

I am glad that at the today’s meeting, it was requested institutional cooperation and coordination, but not necessarily those who requested it, were the first who implemented it. The fact that the Council Meeting was not called since a long time; it was called three times in the last 10 years; shows the lack of coordination and cooperation between institutions, while the other political party was in government. Actually, it has not limited our point of view and our receptiveness to the institution of the President, and all the other institutions, which should be cooperative, coordinative and supportive of what the Albanian government intends to, and will do. The fact that by Prime Minister’s order, in early February, it was set up the interagency group to draft the Strategy; we have sent to the President the Armed Forces structure and the Armed Forces Deployment Plan a month ago, and we do not have an answer since then, although we have reviewed several times even unnecessary technical requirements by the Institution of the President; it makes us believe that this is a procedure that the institution of President wants to hamper, institution, which in the best of the cases is the approving authority of what the Ministry of Defence and Prime Minister propose to the institution of the President.

How do you explain the fact that after 5 years of NATO membership, we have not had a new strategy and no National Security Council meeting?

This is a question you should make to whom have previously leaded this institution, both to the previous Government and President. It is important to share today two things. First, the Government is focused to conclude this process, because this is a decisive year, important for NATO, reminding that in early September, this year, there will be the summit, one of the most important summits for the future, not only for NATO, but also for the entire geopolitical processes, in general; and the other one is what we will do with the Armed Forces structures. We shall have a Force which will be smaller in number, but more professional, well-equipped and ready to respond to both its constitutional or legal duties, such as the defence of Albania’s integrity or defence and safety of its citizens, and why not the defence of region’s security and beyond, participating in all NATO operations, which are required from us, and which we have responded, not necessarily, properly in the past years.