TIRANA, June 20/ATA/ Speaker of the Parliament Elisa Spiropali highlighted today role of the NATO as a cornerstone of transatlantic security and the values of democracy and common defense.
Spiropali addressed the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Summit, held at the Belgian Parliament in Brussels, on the eve of the NATO Summit.
While expressing Albania’s determination and contribution to this alliance, Spiropali emphasized that we should not remain passive in face of the major political upheavals that are taking place.
In an era of rapid change and constant threats, Spiropali underlined that, “NATO must remain not only relevant, but indispensable.”
“Albania is ready to make its contribution, with determination, responsibility and respect for the values that unite us. In this spirit and with this determination, we are happy and honored to host in Tirana, after two years, in 2027, the first NATO summit in our region. This decision not only shows our commitment to regional stability, unity and cooperation, but also explains the strategic importance of NATO’s sustained engagement in the Western Balkans”, she added.
Speaking about Ukraine, Spiropali said that, “We express our full and unreserved support for Ukraine. Being allies, we must not remain passive observers,” she said.
Speaker of the Parliament underlined that, “Albania has unequivocally condemned this aggression and has joined all measures in solidarity with Ukraine, including sanctions, military assistance and humanitarian support.”
“I personally had the honor a few days ago to participate in the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit held in Odessa to reiterate once again our full and unreserved support for Ukraine, but also to see up from close the difficult reality of life under constant threats as well as to call for an end of this brutal war and for a just and lasting peace there,” she emphasized.
Spiropali also stressed that, “The recent military escalation between Iran and Israel aggravates further a troubled world that is already under great pressure.”
“Albania calls on Iran to cease its nuclear and ballistic missile activities and to act in accordance with its obligations under international law, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,” she said.
A world spinning out of control, she said, “requires us to be very vigilant on all fronts, including our region.”
“In the Western Balkans, there are malign attempts to destabilize democratic institutions, foment divisions and undermine Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Albania firmly believes that the security of the Western Balkans is inseparable from the security of Europe and the wider NATO area. We call on our allies and partners to have a strong political and military commitment to our region. Following its NATO membership in 2009, Albania has consistently demonstrated its commitment to the Alliance and its unwavering dedication to common security, through political, operational and financial contributions”, continued Spiropali.
Further on, Speaker of the Parliament announced that the Albanian government has significantly increased the defense budget and has already achieved the target of 2% of GDP, in line with the Alliance’s goal of burden sharing.
“We support the new Defence Investment Pledge: 3.5% for core defence and 1.5% for other security-related areas, a very important instrument to demonstrate our shared commitment to NATO’s credibility and collective defence in the future. In this way, we are upgrading our armed forces, increasing interoperability and building key infrastructure for NATO in the country, including the transformation of Kuçova Air Base into a strategic hub for the Alliance in the Western Balkans”, she added.
Spiropali also underlined that Albania is strengthening institutional resilience, investing in cybersecurity and working to counter malicious narratives that seek to exploit social and political divisions.
“We also firmly believe that our security is linked to the development of democratic institutions, human rights and economic opportunities. A resilient democracy is the best protection against external subversion. Therefore, Albania supports NATO partnerships with like-minded countries, from the Western Balkans to the Indo-Pacific, as well as the continued expansion of our Alliance,” she added.
In conclusion, Spiropali underlined that Albania has strongly supported and welcomed the membership of Finland and Sweden, and supports the aspirations of other qualified partners seeking to join NATO.
“Enlargement strengthens us all and for this reason we continue to strongly support the Alliance’s Open Door Policy,” she stressed. /j.p/p.s./
