The starting off the investment into NATO’s Kuçova Air Base, Albania a promoter of extending the course of collective stability and security

Published: Thursday, 24 January 2019 15:08

Minister of Defence Olta Xhaçka welcomed in Tirana, the Commander of NATO Allied Air Command General Todd Wolters, marking the starting off of a NATO security investment into Kuçova Air Base over the next five years.

The two interlocutors praised highly the importance that the improvement of the infrastructure of such a base will have on the security of Albania and the region.

The visit of General Wolters to our country marks also the beginning of the activities for this year, which coincides with the 10th Anniversary of Albania's membership in NATO.

Earlier, General Wolters was received with honour guard by the Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces, Brigadier General Bardhyl Kollçaku.

During the welcome ceremony, four fighter jets from Allied countries, which defend the airspace of our country, conducted a fly-past over capital.

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The Statement of Minister Xhaçka:

Hello to everyone!
General Wolters, welcome to Tirana!

Once again I would like to welcome General Wolters and his delegation to Tirana!

It is a great pleasure to start 2019, which coincides with the 10th Anniversary of Albania membership in NATO and the 70th Anniversary of the Alliance's establishment, with such an important visit and also with such important and great news, as it is the beginning of the implementation of the package that NATO has foreseen to invest in Kuçova Air Base over the next five years.

10 years after NATO membership, Albania is today, not just a valuable member, but also a safe country, where the Alliance has decided to invest its potential.

Kuçova Air Base will soon be a NATO base, an ambitious and important project, not only for our national security, but above all for regional security.

In order to confirm the commitment of the Albanian Government in this project, the Ministry of Defence, has authorized the NATO Agency for Procurement and Support - NSPA to draft the master plan for Kuçova Base, according to the standards required by the Alliance. This master plan drafted by the NATO Specialized Agency will be due within a few months, thus paving the way for onsite work, as soon as possible. According to the foreseen deadlines may be at the beginning of this year.

The demonstration that we saw today by some of the NATO fighter jets, the first in the history of our country, shows clearly the Alliance's most modern technological power in the service of collective defence, its values and principles.

The visit of the Commander of NATO Air Command is also a clear testimony of the attention and ongoing commitment of the Alliance and the United States of America to Albania and Western Balkans region as well.

These developments, in cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance, boost the confidence, but also the responsibility to carry on with prudence the commitment and contribution of our country to the security framework of the region.

This year Albania is engaged in leading a number of initiatives aimed at supporting regional security. In cooperation with our NATO neighbours we will continue to promote a policy of extending the course of collective stability and security. This is the only way to clearly demonstrate the Euro-Atlantic values in the Western Balkans.

General,
Once again thank you for visiting Tirana, thank you for your contribution to the Alliance. Welcome to the first flight event from Kuçova Base which is now an added asset to the Alliance!

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The Statement of General Wolters:

Madam Minister,
Senior Distinguished Civilian Leaders,
General Officers, Flag officers, Military members,
and the great citizens of this Nation,

It’s an absolute honour to be in your presence and we are extremely excited to be side by side with a great NATO partner. It’s hard to imagine that just ten short years ago at the spring of 2009 your great Nation embraced the Alliance and here we are ten short years later celebrating the initiation of the infrastructure improvement at Kuçova Air Base.

What we anticipate to occur over the course of the next months and years is the continuing improvement of the infrastructure and what will ultimately happen is there will be an aircraft haven at Kuçova. We are extremely excited about advancing that cause and this great nation is all about advancing that cause.

We are also excited for the campaign momentum that we have witnessed from our NATO Air Command Headquarters with respect to Albania Army Forces, a force that delivers a powerful punch in a large, large swath of area that extends from this Capital to the South-West and South-East towards Afghanistan and Mali, that extends all the way to North, to Latvia and back here to Kosovo and back here to the Capital.

The peace that you deliver in that large swath of territory is absolutely magnificent for the Alliance, and it does wonders for the peace and prosperity that we enjoy in the region. It was also showcased several minutes ago by the absolute privilege that those two Italian Air Force eurofighters and those two Greek Hellenic airforces F - 16 were able to embrace the flight over your country and honour your great service to the region and the peace and prosperity.

Thank you Madam Minister for your tremendous hospitality and we look forward to serving at your side!

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Questions - answers:

TV News 24 (Aurora Golemi): General Wolters, what will the nature of the Kuçova Air Base be and what capacities will it have? In terms of collective security, what does this investment to set up the first NATO air base in the Western Balkans, mean?

The question addressed to the Minister is: What does the NATO's increased presence on this air base bring and why is it significant? Thank you!

General Wolters:
Madam Minister and distinguished guests, Kuçova represents a great gains and innovations in our ability to better see the battlespace, large improvements and indications in warnings and ultimately large improvements in Command and Control.
It will be a base that possesses the ability to embrace fighter aircraft; it will be an installation that possesses the capability to put resources that they can see the battlespace and will possesses the capability to implant resources that will possess the capability to Command and Control organisations as they come in and out of Albania.
Thank you

Minister Xhaçka:
However, Kuçova's base is extraordinary news, not only in the operational aspect, but in the political one as well. Albania, having been 10 years a member of NATO, is now a country which has shown great dedication and professionalism in overcoming many of its constraints. NATO's investment in Kuçova Base is exceptional news not only for Albanians but also for the region, not only in terms of our security but in terms of the security of the region as well.

I cannot help saying that in national terms, it is extraordinary news because in 10 years it puts the relationship between Albania and NATO to another standard, a standard that is more significant and turns our country from a member country to the Alliance's infrastructure, to our family's infrastructure.

Kuçova is definitely great news in terms of economic development of the area and the investment foreseen there.

I cannot help saying that Albania has a proactive role and has served as an advocate of open doors and Euro-Atlantic perspective in the region. The Alliance's investment in this area is a proof of a relationship that undoubtedly puts Albania higher and praises its role not only in the security and defence track that it sets on its territory, but also in the security and protection course it seeks to promote through dialogue, stability, peace and the constructive role played in the region.

TV Klan (Erikleda Dorezi): Actually the question is for General Wolters: Why was exactly Albania selected for the NATO air base and are there other future investments foreseen in our country?

General Wolters:
I can speak to Albania in Kuçova; Kuçova possesses unique characteristics, a former airfield with tremendous existing infrastructure that happens to be in a wonderful geographic location with respect to your nation and with respect to the Western Balkans.

It also happens to be a location that offers us tremendous weather opportunities. So, day-to-day the ability of aircrafts to take off and land out of Kuçova is significantly improved over other locations due to its naturally wonderful weather.

It also happens to be a location that offers us tremendous good weather opportunities. So, the day-to-day take off and land the ability to aircrafts in Kuçova is significantly improved due to a naturally wonderful weather.

Thank you!

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