FLASH
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" Indicative of the turn that bilateral relations between Greece and Albania have taken and the shocks caused by the conviction of the elected mayor of Himara, Fredi Beleri, was the lack of representation of the Armed Forces of Greece, specifically the Air Force at the opening of the air base of of NATO in Kuçovo ".
This is how an article of the well-known Greek newspaper "Kathimerini" begins , which has paid attention to what happened on Monday with the Kuçova base.
The former Soviet airport reopened last Monday following the completion of an ambitious modernization program at the base, which decades ago housed Soviet MiGs. The information shows that the cost of the works has reached 50 million euros and was financed by the North Atlantic Alliance fund. That is, from the member states of NATO, including, of course, Greece.
At the opening ceremony, Italian Eurofighter jets landed on the runway, as Rome takes over patrolling Albania's airspace for 15 days each month. But the other 15 days are responsible for the policing (NATO Air Policing) of Tirana's Airspace, namely the Hellenic Air Force. F-16 planes from Volos and Aghialos fly at regular intervals over Albania and are put on standby for emergencies, such as escort operations or facing any asymmetric threat from the air " - says the article of "Kathimerini".
So , while Rome was represented at a high level, since in addition to the EF-2000 shooters the Italian Minister of Defense, Guido Croceto, was also present, it is said that Athens did not receive an invitation, despite participating in space defense Albania, as well as Italy. Competent sources describe the event as a "shamelessness", pointing out that even if the Greek side had been invited, the state of relations between the two countries would not allow the presence of officials or military aircraft" - it is stated in the article, which then also comparison with the Turkish presence in this ceremony.
"In Kuçovo, however, Ankara's presence was increased, as 3 armed drones of the Bayraktar TB2 type, recently purchased from Albania in Turkey, were presented, which will be permanently stationed at this base" - says the article that follows makes a base reflection.
Kuçova is located approximately 80 kilometers south of Tirana and is expected to serve the needs of the alliance for the transportation of assets and systems, operations and training activities. This means that Greek soldiers will be able to use the runway if requested. After all, as part of the allied exercise (Tango Scramble), Air Force pilots follow a forced landing scenario (a technique where the pilot has the option of choosing an airport or can go there as soon as the nearest airport) by made a low pass over Tirana International Airport.
For years, Greece and Italy have patrolled the airspace of Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia, with separate responsibilities every two weeks. For Greece, the military presence in the critical Balkan region is an absolute priority and acts as a counterweight to Ankara's ever-growing influence. "A few months ago, Athens and Sofia started discussions at the diplomatic level, so that the Air Force can take over the control of Bulgaria's airspace, until the country provides a modern fleet of fighter jets" - reads the article of "Kathimrini".
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