A army helicopter lands at an airbase throughout an inauguration ceremony in Kocuve, about 85 kilometers (52 miles) south of Tirana, Albania, on March 4, 2024. [Armando Babani/AP]
NATO member Albania on Monday inaugurated a refurbished Soviet-era air base, the alliance’s first within the Western Balkan area.
The air base is called after the small city of Kucova, 85 kilometers (52 miles) south of the capital Tirana.
Officers mentioned the brand new air base will function a contemporary hub of operations, for coaching and internet hosting an array of fighter jets.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama welcomed the reactivation of the air base, which was formally closed in 2005, as “one other component of safety from our area of the Western Balkans, which we all know nicely could also be endangered from the neo-imperialist threats and ambitions of the Russian Federation.”
After the speeches on the ceremony, two U.S. F-16 and two F-35 fighter jets from Aviano Air Base in Italy flew over whereas two Eurofighters landed.
NATO funded the bottom improve with round 50 million euros. It included renovations to the management tower, runways, hangars and storage services.
“The makeover of Kucova air base is a strategic funding and reveals that NATO continues to strengthen its presence within the Western Balkans, an space of strategic significance to the alliance,” mentioned NATO’s appearing spokesperson, Dylan White.
Rama mentioned that Tirana additionally provided and was discussing with NATO a naval base in western Albania.
Albania joined NATO in 2009 and is a candidate for EU membership.
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