TIRANA, June 9 /ATA/ Minister of State Taulant Balla paid an official visit to the NATO military base in Ādaži, Latvia, where there are also deployed troops from the Albanian Armed Forces.
Balla participated in the ceremony honoring two martyrs of the homeland, Major Klodian Tanushi and Corporal Zarife Hasanaj, who fell in the line of duty while on an international mission on May 6, 2019.
“Their sacrifice is a symbol of the courage and devotion of the Albanian military, who serve with honor at home and abroad. They will always be remembered for their sacrifice. Once again, respect and gratitude to each of you and your families, who feel more than anyone else the difficulty and sacrifice of military duty,” Balla told the members of the Albanian mission.
During this visit, Balla, in his capacity as Minister of State, who is also NATO’s national contact point for Resilience, expressed his pride and deep gratitude for the contribution of Albanian soldiers to this important mission of the Alliance.
“I express to you gratitude for your contribution here. You make us proud with your presence in a joint NATO mission, in an allied country like Latvia, with a very important geostrategic position, especially in the new security conditions after the Russian aggression in Ukraine,” said Minister Balla during his speech to the Albanian troops in Ādaži.
During the visit to the base, the minister met with the Chief of Staff of the “MNBDE LVA” Brigade, the Multinational Brigade in Latvia, Lieutenant Colonel Philippe Tremblay, who expressed to Balla, “the highest appreciation for our soldiers and their professional role in this mission.”
“Albania remains committed to implementing the Alliance’s decisions to adapt the Alliance to the new security reality, including the adoption of detailed plans for strengthening defense, as well as a new commitment to investments in this area,” Balla said.
The Ādaži military base, one of the key points of NATO’s defense in the Baltics, hosts the NATO Multinational Forward Presence Brigade (FPH), a structure created in response to security threats from Russia. This brigade includes troops from various NATO member countries such as Canada, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Albania and others. /a.f/p.s./
