Kosovo intends to increase its defense budget by 60% over the next four years, with a particular emphasis on acquiring Black Hawk helicopters and establishing facilities for the production of ammunition and drones, Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced on Wednesday.
Kurti has consistently advocated for heightened defense spending to address potential threats from neighboring Serbia, which continues to regard Kosovo as part of its territory.
“During the next term, we will allocate one billion euros ($1.08 billion) for our military,” Kurti stated at a cabinet meeting, a significant rise from the 626 million euros allocated in the previous four years.
His party secured the top position in the parliamentary elections held in February, garnering 41% of the votes, but he is still in the process of forming coalition partnerships.
Since taking office in 2021, Kurti has progressively increased the defense budget. In 2023, Kosovo acquired a number of Turkish-made Bayraktar drones, and last year it purchased Javelin anti-tank missiles valued at $75 million.
NATO continues to maintain a presence of over 4,000 peacekeepers, primarily stationed in northern Kosovo, which has experienced significant ethnic tensions over the past two years since the country declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
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Recently, Kosovo, along with NATO members Albania and Croatia, signed an agreement to strengthen defense cooperation, a move that has drawn criticism from Belgrade. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused Albania and Croatia of engaging in an “arms race.”
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