Albania, NATO Air Tactical Base Ready

Albania's Defence Ministry said Sunday that preparations are on the road to completion at the NATO military alliance air base in Albania's southeastern town of Kuchova, before it is inaugurated on 4 March.

Albania's Air Force Commander, Brigadier General Ferdinand Dimo, said NATO troops and its flying vehicles will soon be accommodated, trained and flown from Kucova Air Base, now NATO tactical air base.

Albania has been a member of NATO since 2009.

Defence Minister Niko Peleshi, through a post on social networks, stressed that this base would play a key role in supporting NATO operations and exercises.

This base will serve as a center for our Air Force activities, providing advanced infrastructure for the Alliance's fighter and transport aircraft. This step marks a new phase in strengthening our capacities for international co-operation and regional security”, Pelesh writes on Facebook.

Kucova's base was also mentioned by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Tirana on 15 February.

“Over its 15 years in NATO, Albania has made significant contributions to our alliance. Next month, NATO air base will be inaugurated in Kuchova, Blinken said.

Works on her reconstruction began in January 2022. Since then, it has been working for the siege and security system and as well as protection in the perimeter where this base lies.

Nearly 50m euros are invested in NATO, and more than 5m euros have been invested by the Albanian government. Albanian authorities have taken over the construction of security perimeter and connecting roads, lighting, setting up base safety cameras, as well as detection sensors along the base siege.

At the time the construction of this base began, Minister Niko Peleshi had declared this to be a clear message “for other actors with bad intentions” in the Western Balkan region.

For Albanian authorities, the selection of the Kucova base is linked to the country's geo-strategic position, as well as its airport, as well as to the credibility Albania has established in the Bay of the military alliance.

Senior representatives of the Albanian, NATO and US state will participate in the opening ceremony for the air base.

Kucova's air base was built in the 1950s, but was out of use in the 1990s.

Following the reconstruction of Kucova's base, Prime Minister Edi Rama's Government requested that it proceed as soon as possible in terms of Albania's application to co-finance with NATO the reconstruction of the new maritime base in Porto Romano. / REL