The President of Albania Bayram Begai assured today that Albania will always protect the values of peace and unity, standing side by side with the USA and NATO, the Albanian ATA agency reported for BTA.
In his address at the start of the Defender Europe 23 exercise as commander-in-chief of the Albanian armed forces, Begai encouraged the government to further increase support for the Albanian military and for Albania’s contribution to NATO.
“Two years ago, when we started work on the Defender of Europe 2021 exercise, we knew that the challenge was too great for our country’s capabilities. Once again, we managed to show that we know how to responsibly deal with the task and that our little Albania actually weighs in place,” he said.
Begai welcomed the exercise, which is starting from Albania for the second time, once again confirming his country’s unwavering support and readiness to intensify cooperation in the field of defense and security.
According to him, “Defender of Europe” was created as an exercise to increase the defense capabilities of the Alliance in the event of a conflict or threat.
“We are faced with unjust Russian aggression in Ukraine, today’s geopolitical reality is completely different from that of two years ago, and the security situation has become much more complex. These changes have a significant effect in our fragile region of the Western Balkans, where malicious players who do not share our values are trying to expand their influence. That is why the importance of this exercise is more tangible today than ever and its continuation is more than necessary,” said the Albanian president.
Begai stressed that Albania is committed to its mission of being a stabilizing factor in the Balkans and an exporter of security in the region and beyond.
“Of course, the credit for this goes to each and every one of the men and women in uniform who serve in our armed forces and honor the flag of Albania every day. You are the backbone of our society and thanks for your commitment and professionalism can never be enough,” he added.
According to the Albanian head of state, any investment in strengthening defense capabilities is an investment in stability and an investment in ensuring a more peaceful future for young generations who never have to face the devastating consequences that conflicts cause.
“The time has come to take our responsibility and the response must be in line with the current challenges,” he added.
Source: bta.bg
