The agreement signed in Tirana on Tuesday, March 18, between Albania, Kosovo, and Croatia for cooperation in defense and military interoperability among the three countries has caused concern for official Belgrade. This agreement included four main objectives to be fulfilled by the respective countries, with the key goal being support for Kosovo in obtaining its status in NATO.
The “Albania-Kosovo-Croatia Military Alliance” focuses on the following goals:
- Promoting defense capabilities and cooperation for the relevant industries.
- Increasing interoperability through education, training, and exercises.
- Countering hybrid threats and enhancing resilience.
- Supporting Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic perspective by offering support for its status in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.
Minister of Defense, Pirro Vengu, has described the statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who labeled the agreement between the three countries as “an arms race,” as a “victimization narrative.”
“Serbia, following a two-year policy of an empty chair in regional initiatives, has unilaterally suspended its opportunity to encourage or participate in multilateral consultations. This suspension, which Serbia can lift at any time, makes any victimization narrative coming from the Serbian government pointless,” said Minister of Defense Pirro Vengu.
In conclusion, Vengu emphasized that Albania has no history of secret agreements or treaties at the expense of its neighbors, unlike other countries.
