Esmeralda Topi
For the past two years, the Albanian government has volunteered to host the construction of a NATO naval base in Porto Romano through a co-financing agreement.
‘This will not only be a port that will influence national production but also one that will impact our security […] it will include its own military section, offering NATO a new military base,’ statedhttps://www.kryeministria.al/newsroom/hapet-gara-per-ndertimin-e-nje-prej-projekteve-me-te-rendesishme-per-shqiperine-dhe-rajonin-portit-te-ri-ne-porto-romano/ Prime Minister Edi Rama last month as the competition for the new commercial port in Porto Romano was announced.
‘In coordination with NATO, we have been working for some time on the funding for the military port area at Porto Romano, which will not only greatly enhance Albania’s security but also our role in NATO’s operational area,’ continued Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, echoing the Prime Minister’s remarks.
The Albanian government treats the Porto Romano naval base project as an accomplished fact with NATO, even though the North Atlantic Alliance has not yet made a decision.
A NATO official confirmed to Faktoje that ‘there has not been any decision regarding the Porto Romano base yet.’
‘NATO usually requires time to assess operational requests for such locations,’ the official added.
Priority Project
While NATO considers the option of co-financing the naval base in Porto Romano, the Albanian government has listed the project among its top national priorities. Marked as a priority project, the autonomous naval base is projected to cost €366 million.
The Albanian government’s effort to attract NATO to establish another base in Albania is seen by researcher Ledion Kristafi as a clever strategy from the Albanian side.
‘Since Albania does not have the financial capacity to meet its military needs, proposing NATO to build bases in Albania allows NATO to invest, and Albania benefits from this investment,’ Kristafi says.
Kristafi argues that the naval base in Porto Romano would serve as a logistical support center for NATO in the Western Balkans, though it might not hold much significance in light of the ongoing situation in Ukraine and Russia.
‘NATO is constructing a large base in Romania, which is directly related to the conflict in Ukraine and its consequences. The Porto Romano base will likely be similar to the Kuçova base, but focused on naval operations instead of air operations,’ Kristafi points out, adding that the base’s significance would only grow if a conflict were to occur in the Balkans.
Colonel Dritan Demiraj views the establishment of a NATO naval base in Albania as a means to enhance the country’s influence within the Alliance.
‘I believe that the establishment of the airbase, along with Prime Minister Rama’s persistent advocacy for a NATO-supported naval base in Durrës, will boost Albania’s role in the Alliance and, consequently, its international political backing,’ asserts the former commander of the Special Forces.
Background
The concept of establishing a NATO naval base in Albania was first introduced by Prime Minister Edi Rama in July 2022.
‘I highly value your willingness to dedicate some time to discuss our ambition, […] by offering NATO a cutting-edge naval fleet base that we can not only construct but also tailor to the challenges of our time[…],’ Rama stated alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during an official visit to Brussels.
A year later, in Skopje, Rama urged the North Atlantic Alliance to expedite the process concerning Albania’s request for co-financing the new naval base.
‘I want to emphasize the need for Albania’s request to co-finance the new NATO naval base in Porto Romano to be expedited as much as possible […],’ Rama said following a meeting of NATO member leaders from Southeastern Europe in Skopje.
Conclusion
Based on the verification conducted, we classify the Prime Minister’s statement about the NATO naval base in Porto Romano as partially true.
