TIRANA (Albania), August 6 (SeeNews) – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has decided to establish its first air base in the Western Balkans in Albania’s Kucova, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama said.
NATO will invest over 50 million euro ($57.8 million) in the first phase of modernisation of existing Kucova Air Base, Rama said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
The implementation of the project is expected to start in 2018, Rama said, adding that the investment will create new opportunities for the economic and social development of the entire region.
“Kucova will also serve as a national base for the Albanian Air Force and this NATO strategic investment in Albania will bring a new standard to our Armed Forces,” Rama noted.
The Albanian prime minister also said officials are discussing further modernisation of Albanian Air Force capacities with US representatives.
The Kucova air base was built in the 1950s during the Communist rule.
Albania joined NATO in 2009.
($ = 0.86423 euro)