Esmeralda Topi
In January 2023, former Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi initiated his term with a significant promise – the expansion of the firefighting air fleet with two multipurpose aircraft.
‘…there are some more modest, cost-effective, more maneuverable, and better suited for our fire situations,’ Mr. Peleshi described the aircraft intended for purchase while outlining objectives for the next 12 months.
This promise from the former Minister of Defense came a few months after fires had devastated thousands of hectares of forests and pastures across Albania from north to south during the summer of 2022.
‘I can’t say if they will be ready by August, as August is typically the peak of the fires,’ Peleshi made a point to emphasize at the time.
In 2022, the country was hit by 125 fire outbreaks, which consumed 17,764 hectares of forest and pasture – according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System. A year later (2023), the number of fires fell to 35 cases, with 5,563 hectares affected in forests and pastures.
Source: EFFIS
Fact
Faktoje’s verifications reveal that the multipurpose aircraft for emergencies have still not been purchased.
‘A request for the acquisition of two light multipurpose aircraft with fixed wings is currently being drafted. By multipurpose, we mean close air support for assistance in the event of natural disasters and agricultural support,’ the Ministry of Defense explains following a request for information.
Almost two years after former Minister Peleshi’s promise, the Ministry of Defense highlights that expanding the air fleet with two aircraft will take at least an additional two years.
‘The expected timeline for operational deployment is the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026,’ the Ministry of Defense states.
Year 2024, a record for fires
Over the past ten years, more than 184,000 hectares of forests and pastures have been burned in Albania. According to data from the European Forest Fire Information System, the country has recorded 943 fire outbreaks from 2014 to early October this year.
2024 is shaping up to be the worst year of the last decade, with 46,000 hectares of forests and pastures devastated by flames.
Source: EFFIS
‘The situation next year will be the same, if not worse! We will have more fires and more damage from them,’ warns forestry engineer Abdulla Diku.
‘Without logistical equipment, support, and qualified forest personnel, we will simply be compiling statistics on the damage caused by forest fires,’ he further argues.
Due to limited capacity to extinguish hundreds of fire outbreaks from north to south, Albania activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism twice during July and August of this year.
Additionally, in the summer operations against the fires, the government mobilized army forces and resources throughout the country.
Conclusion
Based on the collected information, we classify former Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi’s promise to expand the air fleet with two multipurpose aircraft for firefighting as unfulfilled.
