TIRANA, July 27 /ATA/ Parliament on Monday morning approved, with 75 votes in favour, the expedited review of a loan agreement between Albania and the United States under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme.
The fast-track procedure was approved following a request submitted by Socialist Party parliamentary group leader Taulant Balla.
During his speech in parliament, Balla called on lawmakers to approve the agreement with the United States through an accelerated procedure, describing it as a landmark deal for national security and the strategic partnership between the two countries.
He said the agreement would support the financing of the modernisation of Albania’s Armed Forces.
Speaking during the plenary session, Balla said the $302 million agreement reflects the excellent relations between Albania and the United States, as well as Washington’s confidence in the country.
“This is a historic agreement for Albania. It goes beyond financial terms and represents concrete evidence of the United States’ trust in Albania, as well as the increasingly important role our country plays in Euro-Atlantic security,” Balla said.
He underlined that the funding will be used exclusively to modernise the capabilities of Albania’s Armed Forces through the Foreign Military Sales programme, enabling the acquisition of equipment, systems and services that meet NATO standards.
Speaking about defence investment, Balla said the sector’s budget has tripled in recent years, rising from 24.1 billion lek in 2020 to 69.2 billion lek in 2026. He added that Albania has increased defence spending to 2.6% of gross domestic product, while supporting NATO’s new target of reaching 5% of GDP by 2035.
According to Balla, the decision to host the NATO Summit in Tirana represents important recognition of Albania’s role within the Alliance, as the country prepares for a new phase in NATO’s development, known as “NATO 3.0”, through the strengthening of defence capabilities and strategic investments.
The head of the Socialist Party’s parliamentary group explained that the funds will be disbursed only based on the concrete needs of the Defence Ministry and following approval by US authorities. Albania will have 48 months to commit the funds, while the loan agreement provides for a repayment period of up to 12 years, including the possibility of a one-year grace period and the option of early repayment without penalties.
In conclusion, Balla called on lawmakers to support the ratification of the agreement through an accelerated procedure, saying it would strengthen the strategic partnership with the United States, enhance Albania’s defence capabilities and consolidate the country’s position as a reliable ally and a factor of stability in the region.
Following the debate, parliament voted by 75 votes to approve the fast-track review of the loan agreement between Albania and the United States under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme.
The opposition opposed the decision, describing the procedure as unconstitutional, arguing that lawmakers should first be given the opportunity to examine the submitted document.
At the start of the plenary session, Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi announced that the agreement had been added to the agenda for approval under an accelerated procedure.
“The agenda includes the approval, in principle, of the direct loan agreement between the Republic of Albania, represented by the Ministry of Finance, and the United States of America, represented by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme, with a total loan amount of $302 million,” Peleshi said.
According to him, any lawmaker wishing to access the agreement must first sign a confidentiality statement before being granted access to its contents.
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