Albin Kurti, the prime ministerial candidate of the Self-Determination Movement (Vetëvendosje), stated that Kosovo is building its own professional army.
“By being prepared and capable of defending ourselves, we guarantee peace in our country—for ourselves, but also regional peace. From history books and from the testimonies of our elders, we know that Serbia used to attack first and think later. We do not aim to build an army larger than Serbia’s, but with the army we are building, we will make it think twice so that it never dares to act again,” Kurti said during a speech this evening.
He emphasized that the military budget has been tripled, the number of soldiers has doubled, training for officers and non-commissioned officers has increased fourfold, while spending on equipment, armaments, and ammunition has risen multiple times.
Kurti added that in the past there was more weaponry within the Kosovo Police than in the army itself, reiterating that the situation at the time clearly demonstrated the urgent need to build genuine military capacities.
“At one point, there was even more weaponry and ammunition in private homes than in army barracks,” Kurti said, stressing that today Kosovo is building a professional army capable of defending the country.
