EDITORIAL
The 113th Anniversary of the Albanian Armed Forces: From Glorious History to the Challenge of Sovereignty in a New Era
Flamur Buçpapaj
113 years after their creation, the Albanian Armed Forces remain one of the most symbolic institutions of the Albanian state—a mirror of our political history, our collective traumas, and our future aspirations. Their path has passed through three major epochs: the national awakening, the ideological distortion of communism, and the prolonged democratic transition.
Today, more than ever, the question arises: do we have an army that defends sovereignty, or an army with limited independence, designed only for peacekeeping missions?
From 1912 to the Great National Wars: An Army of a Nation in Formation
The creation of the Armed Forces in 1912 was the first concrete act of Albanian state-building. They were modest in number and equipment but essential for a new state surrounded by ambitious neighbors and international pressure.
They immediately faced critical challenges: securing borders, resisting aggression, and attempting to build a functional military hierarchy in a country shaken by conflict.
The Communist Era: Strengthening, Ideologization, and Isolation
Under communism, the army became the main pillar of the regime—large in numbers, equipped according to Eastern models, and capable of mass mobilization.
But alongside modernization, it was ideologically deformed—absolute loyalty to the Party, not to the Homeland. This turned the army into a political instrument rather than simply a defensive one.
The country’s isolation and paranoid self-defense doctrine made Albania the most fortified country in Europe, yet among the weakest in real combat capability.
Democracy: From a National Army to a Disarmed Army
After the fall of communism, the Armed Forces faced economic and political collapse. NATO reforms were necessary but came with heavy consequences:
dissolution of combat units,
depreciation of the arsenal,
near-total removal of heavy weaponry,
minimal troop numbers,
orientation toward peacekeeping rather than territorial defense.
Today, Albania has a disciplined, professional army integrated into NATO, but it remains poorly equipped—without a combat air force, lacking sufficient naval protection, and with minimal ground capacity to withstand a real conflict.
This creates a harsh reality: a country that is theoretically sovereign but practically unable to defend its borders alone.
A State Without Full Sovereignty in a Region Under Tension
At a time when the Balkans face war rhetoric, hybrid conflicts, and geopolitical pressure, Albania is in a delicate position.
While Serbia strengthens its military with Russian and Chinese support and builds a modern arsenal, Albania continues to rely on partners and NATO missions.
This model protects us politically but exposes us strategically:
no real control of our airspace,
insufficient cyber defense capacity,
no national military industry,
no recruitable reserve in case of conflict.
A country without military autonomy has limited independence—not full sovereignty.
In a Possible Conflict With Serbia: What Kind of Army Does Albania Need?
If the darkest scenarios were to approach our doorstep, Albania would need structural—not cosmetic—reform.
The Armed Forces must become:
* A modern, maneuverable ground army
formation of brigades equipped with new-generation armored vehicles,
precision artillery, offensive drones, and anti-drone systems,
expanded special forces.
* Functional air defense
new radar systems,
medium-range air-defense systems,
a minimal return of combat aviation (even through large drones).
* A real naval defense
patrol vessels with strike capability,
coastal defense with surface-to-sea missiles.
* Cyber defense
a dedicated military cyber warfare structure,
cooperation with the private sector and NATO.
* A reservist system
The Baltic or Israeli model is essential.
Without reserves, a small country cannot survive.
* A national command with autonomy
Partnership with NATO is vital, but defense decisions cannot rely 100% on external actors.
113 Years of Glory, but Time for a New Army
Today, the Armed Forces are no longer the army that fought for independence, nor the massive machine of communism. They are professional and respected, but not sufficient for the time we live in.
In a region where history is always ready to awaken, Albania needs an Armed Force that is not merely ceremonial or peacekeeping, but a true guarantor of national sovereignty.
On this 113th anniversary, the question remains:
Will we continue to be a country with limited independence, or will we build an army that genuinely defends Albania?
The choice belongs to today’s politics. Otherwise, history will decide on its own.
The Path Toward Military Autonomy: From Rhetoric to Action
The logical continuation of this editorial requires examining not only the problem but the real path toward solving it. Albania does not need a giant army of the past but an intelligent, flexible force, sufficiently armed to deter any potential aggression.
Deterrence is the key to sovereignty: when an enemy knows the cost of attack is too high, he does not attack.
A New Chapter for the Albanian Army: From Technical Strengthening to Restoring Identity
1. Increasing Investment and Making Defense a National Priority
Albania invests about 1.7% of GDP in defense—formally enough for NATO, but not practically. A small country near a regional power with territorial ambitions needs:
2.2–2.5% of GDP for at least a decade,
investment focused exclusively on technology, drones, coastal missiles, and air systems,
development of minimal domestic production capacity.
A small economy can produce small vehicles, drones, communication equipment, light munitions—reducing foreign dependence during crises.
2. Neutralizing Historical Paranoia: The Army as a Guarantee of Peace, Not War
Albania has historically suffered from two extremes:
a paranoid giant army (communism),
a minimal army subordinated to allies (democracy).
Neither fits today’s needs.
A modern army is not built to invade but to guarantee peace.
A country without a functional army is like a house without doors.
Friends may not enter—but enemies face no obstacle.
3. National Control and Real Coordination With Allies
Partnership with NATO is the foundation of our security, but partnership does not mean total submission.
Allies respect nations that bring real capability to the table.
This requires:
a Joint Balkan Command with Kosovo (a strategic idea never implemented),
systematic joint training,
real-time intelligence sharing,
synchronized operational planning for every crisis scenario with Serbia.
In any potential conflict, Albania will never be alone—but it must be strong enough not to be a burden.
4. Creating a Modern Reservist System
Small countries survive through civilian reserves and rapid mobilization.
Albania has more Albanians abroad than at home—a massive unused potential.
Needed:
registries of reservists by profession, age, and skills,
training ranges open year-round,
an Israeli–Baltic model of annual participation in exercises.
Without reserves, a war lasts only hours.
5. Psychological Defense and Hybrid Warfare
Sovereignty is not lost only through tanks.
Today, it is lost through:
disinformation,
cyberattacks,
psychological operations,
economic pressure,
espionage.
Albania needs a National Hybrid Security Command, integrating:
the army,
cyber defense,
intelligence,
police,
the private sector.
A modern army protects not only territory but also minds and the economy.
113 Years After Their Founding: We Are at a Turning Point
It is now clear: Albania cannot continue with the current model—“an army without weapons, without armored vehicles, without aviation, without a fleet.”
Nor can it keep the naïve belief that “NATO is enough.”
Allies intervene—but only after you have endured the first blow.
In a region marked by real tension with Serbia and threats to Albanian communities in northern Kosovo, our strategy must be clear:
A modern, capable, technological army—integrated with Kosovo.
Without this, the 113-year history of the Armed Forces remains only a memory.
With it, they become the guarantee of Albania’s next century.
For Albania’s future, the choice is simple:
Either we build an army that protects sovereignty,
or we accept sovereignty that depends on others.
This is the question history is placing before us once again.
