Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia are expected to soon implement a defense cooperation initiative aimed at enhancing interoperability between their armed forces. This partnership is seen as particularly important given the current geopolitical context, according to former Croatian MP Ermina Lekaj-Prljaskaj.
The three countries signed a declaration in March 2025 in Tirana, committing to strengthen defense collaboration. The agreement allows for joint military exercises and shared arms procurement.
Prljaskaj emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative, noting that Kosovo’s military has recently engaged in more intensive training and cooperation with the Croatian armed forces, which are part of NATO.
Kosovo’s acting Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, confirmed that on July 18, a working group met in Tirana to translate the plan into operational measures. While Albania and Croatia are NATO members, Kosovo is aiming for membership in the alliance and seeks support from partner states in joining the Partnership for Peace program.
Official Belgrade reacted negatively, describing the agreement as an “open provocation.” However, Maqedonci stressed that the cooperation is not intended as a threat, but rather as a signal to those aiming to destabilize the region.
Prljaskaj further highlighted that Serbia’s goal is to provoke conflicts in neighboring countries, including Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, citing Serbia’s close ties with Moscow and its refusal to impose sanctions on Russia after the Ukraine war.
She urged Kosovo to avoid falling for Serbian provocations, while strengthening its defense capabilities through military training and armament programs similar to those of Croatia.
Additionally, Prljaskaj stressed the urgent need for Kosovo to form its new institutions, pointing to the ongoing political deadlock in which the Kosovo Assembly remains unconstituted six months after general elections. She warned that the lack of a functioning government hampers both state projects and national security, especially given Serbia’s provocations.
“Kosovo must ensure a strong defense and quickly establish government institutions to protect its sovereignty and respond effectively to regional challenges,” she said.
