“Generals’ discharge, legal”

03/02/2012 00:00

Arian Starova was the Albanian representative in the latest Ministerial
meeting with NATO. The Deputy Minister explained the position held by
our country regarding the mission in Afghanistan.

“Albania has declared its decision for staying in Afghanistan for as long that the NATO Mission will see it necessary. This means that Albania will stay not only by 2014, but even later. Currently, Albania has 350 troops and some of them have even been involved in battle and other military duties. They have also contributed with training missions for the Afghan troops”, declared Arian Starova, Deputy Minister of Defense.

The Deputy Minister was also asked about the discharge of some generals and their suit against the Ministry of Defense. According to Starova, everything was made within the rules and the NATO reforms.

“I believe that all these actions have been in full accordance with the law. Being a NATO member, every decision that Albania takes for the military personnel is according to the rules, their service period and grades. As regards those specific cases, which received the definite decree of the Albanian President, I know that everything was made in full accordance with their service period and grades. When someone cannot continue his service in a specific grade, he must be discharged, and this is valid not only for Albania, but for all NATO countries and other modern armies”, Starova declared.

Top Channel: One of them has mentioned the problematic of the uniforms and the possibility for the privatization of the Bishtpalla Military Base and the Marine School in Vlore. Is this true?

Arian Starova: I don’t understand the connection of this with their grades. There is no connection. It is their right to say what they want, but their discharge has nothing to do with these claims.

Top Channel: Is it true that the Bishtpalla Base will be privatized?

Starova: No, I have no information about this, and I think that this is clear.

Several high-rank generals were discharged one month ago and sued the Ministry of Defense and the President for this, claiming that this action was against the law.

Prepared by: Arta Tozaj

Top Channel