TIRANA, September 17 /ATA/ – Minister of Defense Ermal Nufi attended the opening of the “Tirana Fire Safety 2026” international conference in Tirana, an event bringing together experts, public institutions, professionals, academia and representatives from the construction and technology industries.
“We cannot build civil protection solely on the basis of response. We must be just as strong in prevention as we are in response,” Nufi emphasized during his address.
Amid rapid urban development and the construction of increasingly large and complex structures, Nufi highlighted the importance of improving fire safety standards. According to the minister, safety must be taken into account right from the design phase of buildings and structures.
Safety cannot be an afterthought; it must be designed into our systems from the very beginning,” Nufi stressed. Highlighting one of the hottest summers on record, he reported that by September 9, 2026, the civil protection system had responded to 81 major fires. These operations required over 14,600 personnel, nearly 1,350 ground vehicles, and 180 aerial deployments.
“Behind these numbers are the real people—including our military, first responders, and local volunteers—who sacrificed countless hours of hard work to make this happen,” Nufi stated.
He emphasized that the civil protection system, guided by the Law “On Civil Protection,” prioritizes risk reduction, prevention, preparedness, coordination and community resilience.
The minister also underscored the importance of cooperation among institutions, experts and the private sector, noting that fire safety requires clear standards, safe design, proper implementation, effective inspection and the use of modern technologies.
The “Tirana Fire Safety 2026” conference is taking place over two days at the Tirana International Hotel, bringing together international experts, industry professionals, public authorities, engineers, consultants, manufacturers and representatives of the construction sector.
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