Government approves draft law on “Reservists” to serve as additional capacity alongside active Armed Forces in operations

Published: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 13:35

Council of Ministers approves draft law on Albania’s Reserve Force In its latest session.

The Council of Ministers approved the draft law titled “On the Organization and Functioning of the Reserve Force in the Republic of Albania.” The law sets out the rules for structuring and managing Albania’s reserve service, defining the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens, state bodies, and private entities involved in mobilization.

This draft law, as part of the Albanian Armed Forces, aims to secure a pool of trained personnel to reinforce the Armed Forces, uphold the necessary level of readiness and operational capacity, and boost defense capabilities. This is particularly crucial given today’s regional and global security landscape, and it addresses Albania’s commitments within NATO, crisis response, peacekeeping missions, regional and global security, and civil emergency operations.

The proposed law includes 34 articles, detailing aspects of the reserve service, such as admission criteria, service duration, and the roles of relevant authorities. The reserve force will consist of 25% of active personnel, roughly 2,100 individuals, thus providing essential capacity for quick response in emergency situations.
Under the new regulations, military personnel who have already entered reserve status according to criteria in the law on military careers in the Albanian Armed Forces, as well as qualified civilian citizens, will be recruited through a competitive process and will sign a contract for reserve military service of at least two years, with the option to renew, while respecting the terms of reserve military service.