Admir Shabani: Albanian participation in defense requires concrete measures, not just figures

Deputy Defense Minister Admir Shabani has commented on discussions surrounding the preliminary list of candidates for admission to the Military Academy. He clarified that this list represents only an intermediate stage of the process and should not be confused with the final list of admitted candidates.

Shabani said that any prediction about the final outcome of the competition before the procedures are completed would be premature. According to him, increasing the participation of young Albanians in the defense system remains an important objective, and activities have been organized since the competition was opened to inform young people and encourage them to apply.

“Within the prescribed deadline, only two Albanian candidates applied and submitted the relevant documentation,” Deputy Minister Shabani declared.

He stressed that the issue cannot be analyzed solely by counting the number of Albanian candidates on the preliminary list. According to him, the reasons why young people’s interest in pursuing a military career continues to be limited must also be examined.

According to Shabani, institutions must take steps to make this profession more attractive by offering educational opportunities, professional advancement, modern working conditions and a clear career path.

He announced that the promotion of the Military Academy and information about career opportunities at the Ministry of Defense and in the Army will continue during the coming period.

“Our aim is for future generations to include a significantly larger number of interested and qualified Albanian candidates who, based on the established criteria and their results, will become part of the system,” he said.

In conclusion, the deputy minister called for the discussion on representation not to remain solely at the level of political accusations. He emphasized the need for direct engagement in motivating young people to apply and build careers in defense institutions.

“We will not promise only figures on paper. We will create opportunities, motivate young people and work for concrete results that will be seen in the generations to come,” the statement concluded.