TIRANA, Sept 17 /ATA/- Albania is seeking to position itself as a reliable center for defense industry and military logistics in Southeastern Europe, Defense Minister Pirro Vengu said Wednesday during the 28th Adriatic Charter (A5) Chiefs of Defense Conference held in Tirana.
Vengu highlighted Albania’s commitment to strengthening regional and NATO cooperation, stressing that the U.S.-backed Adriatic Charter remains a vital driver of practical collaboration and collective resilience.
“To remain relevant and credible, we must act decisively in five key areas: increasing defense budgets, expanding our defense industry, modernizing armed forces, investing in critical infrastructure, and enhancing interoperability,” he said.
Albania, he added, is revitalizing its military industrial base and upgrading strategic infrastructure in line with NATO and EU priorities.
Vengu reaffirmed Albania’s military contributions abroad, noting the deployment of around 500 troops in NATO and EU missions, including KFOR in Kosovo, EUFOR Althea in Bosnia, and NATO’s eastern flank missions in Latvia and Bulgaria.
He also reiterated Albania’s continued political and military support for Ukraine.
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