An important base for the entire Western Balkans, this is how Prime Minister Edi Rama considered the opening of the NATO base in Kucova, this Monday.
In his speech, Rama said that Albania proudly welcomes its allies and partners today.
“Seeing a part of those present here as representatives of another generation that lived through all the developments and before the democratic changes, I am referring to a fragment of the newspaper “Zëri i Popullit”, in May 1954 when the leader of the Soviet Union came to Albania and the newspaper wrote that the dead were dancing for joy and the flowers that May had bloomed earlier to welcome comrade Krushov.
This reference is important and at that time Albania with this base was considered strategic of the Soviet empire and there was a considerable number of bomber planes in Kucova.
The war plan would start with the bombing of Vienna, the NATO bases in Denmark, and Kucova’s planes would also be part of it.
Today we live in another era and Albania is on the other side. Proudly welcoming its allies to an alliance that is at the forefront of values in defense of peace and democracy.
I am happy today that a work started a long time ago managed to be completed and there are many friends, partners and allies here, where I thank the Italian minister who came with several fighter jets. And our Turkish friends and allies who for almost 3 decades kept alive the spirit of this base that today has been transformed and is ready as a new NATO base with an importance that exceeds the borders of Albania. Certainly for our region,” continued Rama.
/abcnews.al
