Prime Minister Albin Kurti's decision to establish an ammunition factory may negatively affect NATO

Prime Minister Kurti's decision at the end of his political mandate and during the election campaign to establish an ammunition production factory and laboratories for unmanned aerial vehicles, in addition to having no positive effect, may negatively affect Kosovo's relations with other countries, in particular with NATO as the guarantor of the freedom and independence of our state. Beyond this, the countries of the region, and especially Serbia, may use it as an alibi to increase its military power to threaten the territorial integrity of Kosovo! -With populist language for electoral consumption, Albin Kurti is feeding Serbia to undertake warmongering actions in the North and escalation of regional tensions in general. Even if it were feasible within Albin Kurti's political mandate to build the 'Ammunition Factory and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Laboratory', it does not mean increasing Kosovo's military autonomy due to NATO projects to strengthen the Kosovo Military Force (KMF) and the restrictions on Kosovo's airspace. As is known, NATO has its exclusive responsibilities to maintain the security and inviolability of Kosovo's airspace from any threat that may come from outside! In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and the 1999 Military Technical Agreement, but also with current laws in Kosovo, the KFOR mission commander, respectively NATO, is responsible for the security of Kosovo's airspace. Kosovo's lower airspace below flight level 205 to 6205 meters is managed by the Kosovo Air Navigation Services Agency, while the upper airspace above flight level 205, respectively above 6205 meters, has been under the control of Hungary, respectively HungaroControl, since 3 April 2014, which provides technical traffic control services above this airspace. The agreement between NATO and HungaroControl for the management of Kosovo's upper airspace has been extended indefinitely, but it can be terminated at any time, when political conditions are created or when preparations or readiness for the assumption of these responsibilities by local authorities are made, which does not only have to do with technical or personnel preparations, but also with some conditions of a political nature. Therefore, Albin Kurti's statements at the end of his political mandate are pure electoral propaganda which, apart from not serving the establishment of Kosovo's military independence, harms it by further weakening relations with strategic allies, namely NATO and the USA as the de facto defenders of the territorial integrity of our country and the main guarantors of peace and stability in the region. The initiative of the ‘Kurti Government’ to establish an ‘Inter-Ministerial Commission’ for the purpose of evaluating and launching procedures and negotiations regarding the opening of a factory for the production of ammunition and a laboratory for the design of unmanned aerial vehicles in Kosovo is just a ‘balloon in the air’ that will further frustrate the strained relations with Kosovo’s strategic allies. After the failures with the “Sovereign Fund” and the “Security Fund”, the efforts of the Kurti Government to benefit from popular support in the electoral campaign by supposedly “increasing military power and investments in defense” without an agreement with international partners is little more than a ‘gambling game’ with military allies, namely NATO! This, apart from being a wrong step, is a dangerous adventure by Albin Kurti that conflicts with the interests of NATO, in particular, with the interests of the state of Kosovo and its citizens. It cannot be otherwise, when the interests and very existence of our state are closely linked and directly dependent on the interests of the US in the Balkans.