In his remarks, Rama quoted the US General Tod Wolters, who in an opinion about the importance of our country’s strategic position as an influential point in the Western Balkans and Europe, during a NATO documentary on the Kuçova base, said: When you take a look at the Adriatic region and see the southern part of the European continent, it is very important to maintain peace and prosperity. It is for this reason that Albania in the Balkans, especially in the Western Balkans, becomes a country of critical importance.

Rama stressed that, “the decision taken by NATO to pick this space as a new environment for tackling security challenges, transforming it into a tactical Alliance air base in the region, confirms the fact that small Albania is an added value in this Alliance, which brings together states that believe in certain values and principles that are worth fighting for. ”
Of course, Rama added, “for us the news of this NATO decision-making was very welcome news, because it not only created new value in our entire defense infrastructure, but at the same time conveyed a new energy in our effort to use with as much intelligence and pragmatism as possible our strategic position, in geographic terms and our position in NATO, in political and military terms.

“We are very cognizant about the size of our country and the volume of our contribution in relation to other countries, but also thanks to the joint work, which has brought cooperation with the United States to a whole new level, and, thanks to the support we are constantly receiving from the US and its defense structures, we are becoming more and more self-aware that if we invest intelligently and continue our path of strengthening and at the same time increasing the quality of our military forces, as it should be, we can be an added value for NATO with other projects, ” Prime Minister Rama said .

“Actually today we see on the path to implementation a project, which was an incredible news for many. But, I vividly remember how the announcement was mocked and met with skepticism 3 years ago, saying this moment today would never come and that Kuçova was unlikely to turn into an air base, where 5 projects will be implemented, divided into 3 important packages and where, in addition to the benefits in strategic and military aspect, it will deliver long term impact on economy and the social aspect, also, the area of Kuçova will see unimaginable benefits in this case, ” said Rama.

Prime Minister called the project for transforming the Kuçova air base into a NATO air base a great opportunity for the Armed Forces to build up the national capacities and modernize the air force.
/sm/