During his visit to this base, Voci was closely acquainted with the fire situation, the dynamics of operations and the challenges faced by pilots and crews.

Brigadier General Voci closely monitored vehicle preparations before joining a crew on an aerial inspection to assess ground operations.

The Air Force continues its response across seven regions—including Dajt, Fier, Mat, Lezhë, Zall-Herr, Tirana, and recently Himara—deploying two Cougar helicopters, one Black Hawk, a UAV drone, and two Air Tractor aircraft.

The air missions focus on extinguishing fires, monitoring them after intervention and preventing reactivation, in continuous coordination with the structures engaged in the field.

“Fully prepared and relentlessly dedicated to seeing every mission through”, emphasized the head of the Air Force. /p.s./

“Key summer priorities addressed in the meeting included maritime safety, beach monitoring, traffic control and accessibility in high-volume areas”, said Gonxhja.

“There are also problems related to cleaning, waste treatment and signage,” he said.

According to Gonxhja, there is an improvement in all service standards regarding institutions at the local and central level so that they are close to the citizen 24/7. And he mentioned food safety, health emergencies, but also civil emergencies, so that we have the most successful summer season, said Gonxhja. /e.i/r.e/p.s./

Defence Minister Ermal Nufi spoke at the festive event on reopening of the Vlora Aviation School after twenty years, appreciating it a major investment re-establishing a crucial training hub for military and civilian pilots and air traffic controllers.

Further on, Nufi highlighted that upgrading current capabilities is a national security priority, with active efforts underway to enhance radar systems and reinforce air defense.

According to the minister, the revitalized Kuçova air base serves as a vital NATO tactical hub, strengthening regional security and elevating Albania’s strategic importance within the Alliance.

Minister of Defense Nufi honored the dedicated pilots, technicians, and specialists who have served the nation, paying tribute to their sacrifices throughout the history of the Air Force. This legacy began on April 24, 1951, marking the official inception of Albanian combat aviation with its first flight in national airspace.

Albanian aviation history was made when pilot Peço Polena took flight in a locally assembled Yak-9P. That same day marked the founding of the First Aviation Fighter Squadron. Commanded by Babaçe Faiku, the unit was based at Lapraka airfield (Tirana) and featured 12 Yak-9 aircraft.

/m.m/j.p/p.s./

The Ministry of Defense said today that a group of drones has been used for the first time in such an exercise at this level.

The exercise is carrying out search and rescue operations with Cougar and Blackhawk helicopters from Farka Air Base to support ground operations and readiness for MEDEVAC/CASEVAC medical evacuations.

Regional cooperation and coordination with civilian institutions such as Albcontrol and international partners such as the Kosovo’s Security Force (KSF), makes this exercise an important step towards increasing security and readiness in the region, the Ministry of Defense said.

Yesterday, the multinational exercise “Defender Europe 25”, one of the largest and most complex exercises of the last decade in Europe and Africa, started in Albania. Led by the United States European Command (USEUCOM) and conducted in cooperation with the NATO allies and strategic partners, the exercise will last until June 9, 2025.

“Defender Europe 25” exercise aims to improve the readiness, interoperability and ability of US, NATO and partner forces to act in a coordinated manner in a complex operational environment. The scenario is built according to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which simulates the collective defense of allies in the event of an attack on any of them.

The military activities will include a series of large-scale operations in several European countries, with a particular focus on Albania and Kosovo, where training will be conducted on the protection of critical infrastructure, securing embarkation points and managing advanced logistics. /a.f/r.e/p.s./

Attended the event were Minister of Defense Pirro Vengu, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Altin Kurti, Commander of the Air Force, Major General Ferdinand Dimo, senior leaders of the Armed Forces, representatives from the Aviation Veterans Association, family members of the pilots and technicians of the base, etc.

Speaking at the event, Minister Vengu highlighted the significance of training of the people who serve in uniform, their treatment, but also investments in means, armaments and equipment for the Air Force.

“First of all start, our main objective is the human capital and training of the people. In few days’ time, we are set to re-open the Aviation School”, said Vengu.

“The second element has to do with upgrade and investments in means, equipment, systems and we will continue the Air Force upgrade program.  Our pilots will be in dual missions, civil emergency missions, monitoring and surveillance missions. We will also continue all the very important components of air defense, which have been neglected for years, but within the framework of the Alliance’s objectives and national needs, we must return to this very important element”, said Vengu.

“We will also make more efforts to improve the financial treatment, working conditions and benefits that the military status provides also for the families of military personnel”, he said.

Commander of the Air Force, Major General Ferdinand Dimo ​​underlined that the new helicopter hangar is an example of investments in infrastructure.

On his part, Head of the Aviation Veterans Association, retired Brigadier General Astrit Jaupaj highlighted the process of modernization of the Air Force and thanked Minister Vengu for the approach he has shown in these months towards former military personnel.

The first flight with an Albanian state aircraft was carried out on April 24, 1951, by pilot Peço Polena, thus becoming a pioneer of a journey of pride, dedication and contribution of our Air Force. /r.e/p.s./

Minister of Defense Pirro Vengu appreciated today that with the approval of this draft law, there has been taken a very important step to increase the capacities of the Armed Forces and to make them more efficient in cases of emergencies.

Vengu thanked all the MPs who voted in the plenary session in favor of the creation of the reservist force.

“This is an important step and positive news for all Albanians because with this decision we give discharged and non-commissioned officers, but also civilians, a valid alternative to consider,” he wrote in a post in the social media.

According to Vengu, “This new service guarantees trained and experienced individuals from the country, but also from the Diaspora, increasing the readiness and operation ability of our Armed Forces in cases of deteriorating security, peace support operations and during civil emergencies”.

He emphasized that, “Over 15.5 million euros have been allocated for the initial activation of this component, including weapons, means, equipment and a dignified financial treatment.”

“The reserve service in the Armed Forces will start with the creation of one company in 2025 and will gradually increase to 4 companies by 2030, fulfilling the vision of the Albanian Government for the Albania 2030 mission”, emphasized Vengu.

The minister underlined that with this draft law, we end a successful year and the way is paved for another year with a focus on the upgrade of the Armed Forces, the development of the Military Industry and the increase of capacities in the service of security and Civil Protection. /j.p/p.s./

“In context of the NATO’s obligations and standards, new security challenges, the need has arisen to consider the creation and organization of the military Reserve Force”, said Vengu.

The minister stated that since the entry into force of this draft law and the support of the Parliament, it is intended that the first steps for creation of the military Reserve Force will be taken early next year.

“There is a dedicated financial package in the 2025 budget for the force of reservists, 15.5 million euros, as well as a further commitment in the following years. We are up to NATO standards and become a more attractive armed force, and this means that the armed forces have a wider range of personnel in operation. We consider them national capacities.

A good part of the engineers and technicians that our country has have learned the most important functions in the Armed Forces and it is natural that we are more attractive in functions with high technicality and deep knowledge, with cyber elements or civil defense”, said Vengu. /e.i/a.f/r.e/p.s./

Attending the meeting was Minister of the Interior Taulant Balla, Minister of Internal Affairs of Kosovo Xhelal Sveçla as well as representatives of law enforcement agencies from the Republic of Kosovo, Great Britain and Albania.

“Albania and Great Britain have an excellent relationship and work together every day to achieve common objectives aimed at promoting and protecting the security of our citizens. This is confirmed in the reduction beyond any prediction of the number of illegal immigrants arriving in Britain from Albania, but also in our joint work to fight organized crime in all its forms,” said the Albanian interior minister.

Balla also congratulated the new Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and expressed confidence in strengthening cooperation in the future.

Further, Minister Balla said that the real-time exchange of information between police structures and close cooperation with SPAK serves to prevent and combat criminal activity in our country.

“We have enabled and achieved the return of over 4,000 people who entered the United Kingdom illegally”, Minister Balla stated.

There can be better results while including Kosovo, creating a tri-lateral cooperation opportunity, with the aim of expanding it with other countries of the Western Balkans, Balla underlined.

“The presence and personal commitment of Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Sveçla, in these meetings of the Joint Supervisory Committee is a very significant message for the continuation of the intensification of cooperation within us to fight phenomena have no borders at all, be it organized crime or illegal migration. The results achieved so far are impressive, but we still need to work on encouragement of legal migration and the complete discouragement of abuse of the asylum system and any kind of attempt to justify asylum requests”, emphasized Balla. /p.s./

The minister emphasized that the reactivation of the NATO Tactical Air Base in Kuçovo, the arrival of two Black Hawk helicopters, as well as the equipment with Bayraktar combat drones, are historic investments for the Armed Forces and important steps for the upgrade of the Air Force.

“These developments not only increase Albania’s defense capabilities, but also serve as evidence of our country’s commitment to guarantee national security and meet the highest defense standards,” the minister said.

The Albanian Air Force was officially established on April 24, 1951. The first aircrafts were Soviet aircrafts produced after the Second World War “Yak-18” and were initially deployed in Lapraka on the outskirts of the capital of Albania, Tirana./m.m/p.s./

Interior Minister Taulant Balla broke the news in a statement to the media from Abu Dhabi.

Balla met in Abu-Dhabi with his counterpart Said Bin Zayed, with whom he discussed matters of bilateral cooperation in the field of security, as well as promotion of cooperation to another level in terms of extraditions and civil emergencies.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Balla assessed that the relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are at their best level, thanks to a direct cooperation relationship between the president, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed and Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Balla also said that with Minister Said Bin Zayed they also discussed on getting EBA’s recent experience, in terms of technology, in traffic management as well as the identification of wanted persons.

“We asked for assistance from the government and the Civil Defense Agency in order to face some of the current challenges. We are going towards the summer season and I remembered here the fact that last year we had a significant number of fires, 834 fires, which are impossible to cope with only by all our teams and the infrastructure we have for fire protection”, he said.

Also, Balla said that another topic of the meeting were also issues related to the cooperation between Interpol Tirana and Interpol Abu-Dhabi, as well as the extradition to Albania of persons wanted by Albanian justice./m.m/r.e/p.s./