Lieutenant General Arben Kiggi: Albanian Army is being modernised, weapons purchases under way

Albania's highest-ranking army military, Lieutenant General Arben Kiggi, has declared that reforming the Albanian army according to NATO criteria, the recruiting process, modernisation, infrastructure, logistics investments, modern weapons equipment, and the regional and global situation were some of the issues that were affected in this interview by Lieutenant General Arben Kigga.

Speaking to RTSH about the willingness of the Albanian Army dictated and from the situation in the region, but and that of the war in Ukraine, King said that “The security flight presents some time challenges. Albania's Armed Forces, also within NATO's framework, but also in bilatheral co-operation, we have made several donations to the Ukrainian military forces. Whether these trainings or other donations that are co-ordinated with NATO central command. Given our capacity, it was a huge contribution in this direction to help Ukraine.”.

In this context, he said, our Armed Forces (FA) have undergone a wide reform.

“We have passed all strategic documents, such as the Military Strategy, the Long-term Development Plan. Reviewing the Agency Strategic Control Law is under way. We've recently adopted the Parliament and the Law for Military Career and all these are deep reforms changing and the FA in the facility by creating several new units and increasing capacity”

General in this context told about RASH that other antiaircraft protection elements have been created for many years have not existed.

“We've also increased firepower. We're in the process of buying weapons. The process of reforming and modernising takes time and with the adoption of strategic documents we are making investments in this direction”. 

Not only for the purchase of equipment, said Lieutenant General Arben Kiggi, but for making the necessary infrastructure it adds “to infrastructure with military garrisons, training infrastructure. We're creating new policies by adjusting to future challenges.

The matter of defence and security is not only military issues emphasise the highest-ranking military in our country -- stressing that this is the issue of all state institutions. We can't say it's only military duty that needs to respond, but there are a series of elements that help secure and protect the state.

At the start of the new year, the application of the new Reserve Law will begin.

“In 2025, implementation of this law with support elements of combat will begin. This means that there will be elements that will be interoperable and active. Under demands by allied countries, it is required that this reserve force be provided no less than 20% of the current forces. We've predicted a total of 2100. According to the projected strategy, budgets are divided into categories, and this is projected by 2030 and is thought to be complete this year in all companies that will serve in the Reserve Force. For 2025 we have a budget and a company that will join the Armed Forces. The reserve military service serves to ensure trained individuals, with the goal of completing the structure of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania, maintaining the level of readiness and operation required, boosting defence capacities needed in cases of worsening security, and meeting national obligations, within NATO's framework, crisis response operations, regional and global security support operations, and civil emergencies operations.”

Speaking of the equipment of the Albanian Army, the general said how the first step would be to have an exact element of civilian emergencies and intelligence, and later it would take time to fly to the right side because Kucova's base is excellent.