The “Made ammunition in Kosova” a still distant ambition

At the time of regional uncertainty and global tensions, Kosovo has set a goal for itself: ammunition production.

For Defence Minister Ejup Macedonia, this will be a very important step towards strengthening the country's military capacities.

The warned ammunition plant, according to him, will create not only personal defence capabilities but export opportunities as well.

What is Kosovo's aim?

With an agreement signed on 16 December with the Turkish arms company, The MEC, Kosovo aims to build a various calibre ammunition plant first in the country.

Macedonia gives no details about where and when it is expected to start production, saying such information is classified, but expresses the conviction that with its existence, Kosovo will no longer be dependent on ammunition.

“We, normally, cannot become 100% self-resistable, but we can reduce dependence on other countries, by producing ammunition or weapons that are more spent and are more difficult to ensure”, he tells Free Europe Radio.

Macedonia shows that, initially, 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm of ammunition will be produced, both by the Kosovo Security Force and by the Kosovo Police.

He says the factory will be run by the state, but that “is also important for private investors to increase production”.

“in that way, we will provide sustainable supplies to domestic needs, but we will also be able to export to partner countries, depending on their demands”, the defence minister says.

Some opposition representatives voice doubts that this project will be realised.

For Rashit Qalajn, a member of the Kosovo Parliament's Security and Defence Affairs Commission, the very signing of the contract with a Turkish company is controversial.

I think for whatever it's about weapons and ammunition, we should be guided by our strategic partner: U.S.”, he says.

But, Macedonia ensures that in all these steps, Kosovo has NATO support where it teaches membership to include the US.

Kosovo, with 1.5 million inhabitants, has its own Security Force, which is in the process of becoming a regular army, and is expected to have over 7,500 active members and reserve, as well as police with about 9,000 members.

Also present at home is the peacekeeping mission NATO, KFOR.

Can Kosovo become self-resistable with ammunition?

Former official of NATO, Jamie Shea, says that fulfilling this ambition depends on at least three factors not within the short term.

The ammunition needs chemicals for explosives, special metals and raw materials that often come from China...”

Initially, he says Turkey must be hired for the transfer of its technology and licenses to Kosovo, so that it can develop its defence capabilities.

Then the independent supply chain, which may take years, must be provided.

“... because ammunition needs chemicals for explosives, for special metals and for raw materials, often coming from China and other countries”, Shea tells Radio Free Europe.

The “Things can be complicated even more if the ammunition produced includes rockets and rockets that depend on microprocessors and other sophisticated electronic devices”, according to him.

As the third important factor, that Kosovo should consider, Shea cites the benefits.

He says Kosovo would definitely have to export ammunition so that the capital can invest in support of its defence industry.

A potential export market, according to Sheas, could be Turkey itself, especially if the factory in Kosovo operates as its foreign facility.

“E, after you start producing large quantities of ammunition, keeping them safe becomes another major issue, but also possible weakness. Remember the massive explosion of an ammunition depot in Tirana a few years ago? That event led to political crisis in that country”, Shea recalls.

What Western Balkan countries produce weapons?

The latest report by the Southeast and Eastern European Institute for Small Arms Control and Lechta (SEESAC) of 2021 points out that Serbia is the main exporter of arms and ammunition in the region, as it accounts for 65.79% of total exports.

Next comes Bosnia and Herzegovina, which makes up 31.75% of the region's total exports.

According to data provided by the Balkan countries themselves, Albania exports ammunition, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro export 12.7mm calibre weapons and automatic calibrations, ammunition, bombs and rockets, North Macedonia mainly exports ammunition and bombs, while Serbia exports wider ranges of ammunition and weapons, including: bombs, grenades, mines, rockets, etc.

Importance of Regional Co-operation

Albania's former defence minister, Fatmir Mediu, says achieving self-responsability in defence is difficult, either because of the high standards required, or for the cost of the industry.

The issue is not just to produce and buy. Most important is maintenance, which has a small cost of”.

He suggests that Kosovo boost co-operation with NATO member states in the Balkan region, including Albania, Montenegro and Northern Macedonia, and thus boost its operational levels.

This strategy says it's called “mart definition” or “intelligent defense” and creates greater security through greater cooperation.

Among the countries that exploit it, Mediu mentions the Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

The question is not just to produce and buy. Most important is maintenance, which has a low cost. Therefore, regional co-operation would be much more valuable than thinking of building something self-resistable”, Mediu tells Radio Free Europe.

Now a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, he says this approach would be repaid to Kosovo, taking into account its aspirations to join NATO, and the high level of co-operation this alliance requires.

In this plan, I think there's a lot of room to walk with common procurements and with Bitmart definition”, Mediu says.

Investments in Protection

The budget for the Ministry of Defence in Kosovo will be 207.8m euros in 2025, or 54m euros more than this year.

Macedonia says that in the past three years, Kosovo has spent over 239m euros on arms purchase, and “if even this year's purchases are included, the amount exceeds over 269m euros”.

Because of the sensitivity of the information, he doesn't give details about where they were bought.

But what is known is that Kosovo, in recent years, has also provided weapons from two NATO powers: The US and Turkey.

In March 2022, it also established the Security Fund, where different citizens and donors can contribute to protection, but what its value is, is unknown and not made public. / REL/