Seven elite athletes, World and European Olympic Champions were awarded the rank of "Colonel" as part of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania in a special ceremony.
Luiza Gega, Briken Calja, Erkand Qerimaj, Alban Beqiri, judo coach Majlinda Kelmendi and judokas Distria Krasniqi and Nora Gjakova were awarded the military rank at the ceremony which was attended by the Prime Minister Edi Rama, Speaker of the Parliament Lindita Nikolla, Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi.
In his speech, Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi said that: "There is something in common between elite athletes, their mission and the mission of the Armed Forces servicemen. This common point is the Albanian flag and the love for the country. This unites us here today and gives legitimacy and extraordinary moral support to this gesture of the Albanian government and the Parliament, i.e. the awarding of senior ranks to elite athletes who have achieved the highest results anywhere in the world under the flag of Albania. The AAF keep the flag of Albania flying and hold it high and dignified in 7 missions in the world and there are 7 colonels who in 7 cases have raised the Albanian flag higher than all the other flags of the whole world." , - said Minister Peleshi.
"AAF are the right path for an individual career as well. We give our soldiers today a dignified treatment, today every servicemen is treated financially with a salary 40% higher than last year.", - emphasized Peleshi.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Edi Rama emphasized that the inclusion of these champions and their military graduation means a moral and professional added value beyond the symbolism.
“The Albanian champions, now finally emerging from the dark zone of abandonment and oblivion by the state, will be among our servicemen, among all those efforts to elevate our army by giving the strength of their example and at the same time the example of their strength available to psycho-physical training of the AF. I am very relieved today by another burden that our government finally removes from its shoulders which has been inherited by burdens of the past, because from today we can look the champions in the eyes, but also all those who are dedicated to individual or collective sports, without bowing their heads from the malaise, for not saying shame for forgetting about them," said Rama.
Speaking about the salary raise for the servicemen, Prime Minister Rama said that very soon they will be paid the same as the NATO average.
“What we finalize today is also a very strong reason for girls and boys, young women and men, to join the Armed Forces. Today, the reward for the simplest soldier of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania, with the lowest education, is a reward, which is not only significantly above the minimum wage, but it is a reward that will increase every year. We have raised the salaries of the Armed Forces and will continue to do so, and our ambition is that all those who wear the uniform of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania, when they go on international missions, will not be seen by anyone from bottom to top from their colleagues from other NATO countries. Our servicemen will be paid on the high end of the NATO average salary and this will happen not after 10 years, but in the next few years," said the Prime Minister Rama.
The Chief of the General Staff of the FA, Brigadier General Arben Kingji, while appreciating the contribution made by the sports champions, said that they come to their home and will always be appreciated. He said that: "There is still a lot to do. The goal is to turn this great support of the government for the FA into significant development and modernization of our military capacities and the construction of the necessary accommodation and sports training infrastructure".
