Galleries
Demilitarization
There is hardly another country in the region, perhaps even in the world, that had in its inventory an infinite amount of war munitions in comparison to the population and area. The totalitarian system's paranoia, to arm itself "to the teeth" to cope with aggressors, was extreme.
Thousands of tons of war munitions, stored for an imaginary war that never happened, were not only not used, but became a danger to the inhabitants. According to official statistics, in 1992, the Armed Forces administered about 194,000 tons of war ammunition, distributed in 182 regions of the country and stored in 955 warehouses and tunnels.
The beginning of reforms in 1992 and the ongoing process of restructuring the Armed Forces as well as adapting to NATO standards, brought the reduction of many military units and ammunition depots.
The Ministry of Defense and the General Staff took a series of steps during the years 2007-2008 to assess the situation and determine the ways to dispose of surplus ammunition. After a detailed study of the condition of ammunition, disposal methods and priorities, the Ammunition Disposal Action Plan was prepared. The implementation of this Plan on the ground has been constantly under the assistance of our NATO partners, especially the USA and the OSCE.
NATO
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is a political-military alliance established in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1949, by 12 states. NATO's purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. It promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defence and security issues to solve problems, build trust, and prevent conflicts in the long term.
NATO is committed to peaceful resolution of disagreements, and if diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis management operations.
Today, NATO counts 31 member states. Since Albania's official membership in NATO on April 1, 2009, the Integration Plan has been implemented, which involves comprehensive reform of the Security and Defence sector, aiming for full interoperability with NATO.
The most significant change in the Defence Reform of a new NATO member country consists of adopting a complex process of transforming the Armed Forces from a force based on the concept of individual defence to one based on collective defence.
Albania has been fully integrated into the Collective Defence Planning System, benefiting specifically from its attributes, but also taking on its share of the national contribution with military forces, personnel, budget, and other resources.
The Pavilion Four, or otherwise known as the NATO Pavilion, showcases weapons and state-of-the-art technology objects used by the NATO member armies. It includes photos from the accession ceremony of Albania to NATO, summits or events held, as well as various military uniforms currently used by the army. The pavilion also features an installation with ammunition of different calibres, along with text on militarization.
