Recruitments in the Armed Forces, Xhaçka: Improving gender equality a career based on integrity

: Published: Monday, 19 February 2018 16:42

130 youngsters are the current candidates for officers in the Armed Forces. For the coming nine weeks they will be part of the Individual Basic Training at the Troop School in Bunavi (Vlora).

At the departing ceremony the Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka appraised the increasing number of young women and youngsters with higher education diploma who have applied and have been selected to be part of the Armed Forces.

The Defence Minister assured the newly students and their families that the Ministry of Defence will walk alongside with them in their new path, a beautiful course but full of challenges.

"As the Defence Minister, I would like to enhance the gender balance in favour of women. I appreciate the arising trend of increasing this number and I insist for this to endure. Furthermore, considering that graduated youngsters are applying to be part of our army grant us hope that an higher intellectual and professional level will be guaranteed.

To grant the professional level that we acquire, the testing in all the levels needs to be fulfilled with precision, reliability, discipline and high transparency, - said Minister Xhaçka.

The Defence Minister assured the youngsters and their family members that the Ministry of Defence will stand beside them in this beautiful and challenging journey.

"The Ministry of Defence and the General Staff will be close to you during the continuous improvement of the infrastructure and supplies. Also we will be attentive in your daily work difficulties. I assure you that together with all the AAF's effectives, we will be by your side so that you can successfully accomplish the tasks that are part of this beautiful journey but full of difficulties and limitations.

We are all working together to ensure that your newly acquired career, as well as the career of the AAF staff is valued and promoted, based on the merit and performance demostrated. The reform that we have undertaken will create a possibility where everyone can show their professional level in the AAF structure, - the Defence Minister stated.

The recruitment of soldiers with a more qualitative profile is a constant challenge for the Armed Forces, in order to increase the professional growth and commitment to the fulfilment of the country's defence tasks and in the interest of the North Atlantic Alliance. According to recent months statistics, the ratio between the number of applicants who have been willing to be part of the Armed Forces and that of the selected candidates is nearly 3 to 1.

The youngsters leaving today for the Bunavi are in total 130. They outscored the highest points in the physical, intellectual and psychological test, for new recruitment campaign for active soldiers/sailors in the Armed Forces.