NATO consulting team in Albania

TIRANA, Feb 15 – A NATO consulting team visited Albania last week to meet with Defense Minister Gazmend Oketa and other senior Albanian military.
The team was in the country to make the progress report on Albanian armed forces in the context of the country’s future possible membership into the alliance.
Albania hopes to become a full NATO member in April at its summit that is to celebrate its 60th anniversary as well.
Last year the tiny Balkan country received a membership invitation in April together with Croatia and then they both signed the membership protocol in July. This protocol has been ratified by 23 countries and will likely be completed this month.
Oketa informed the NATO team about the work done to reform the armed forces, its modernization, disposal of excess ammunition, the legal and financial context and so on.