The Security Committee for Civil Emergencies held a meeting this Monday after the fire situation in the country. The Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi informed that Albania has seven fourth generation helicopters, where three of them are being repaired.
But, after this statement, the Democratic MP Ferdinand Xhaferraj gave some classified information that was made available to him, making it part of the debate with the minister.
"The ministry broke the agreement with Airbass. The state of readiness of helicopters after 2019 is very low. Out of four Cougar on standby there has been only 1, today there is none. From 2 EC 135 none on standby for two years. Not to mention other models that have four years without service. Helicopters EC135. This is the panorama of aircraft readiness. Over the last three years the readiness of the air fleet. "NATO donated three buckets in 2019 but the helicopters are not working," said Xhaferraj.
These classified data should not have been made public, which caused the immediate intervention of the Minister and former Chief of Staff, Socialist MP Bardhyl Kollçaku. Peleshi accused Xhaferaj of consuming the act of extracting information related to national security. The Secretary of Defense demanded that the cameras be turned off in response to the Democratic MP.
"You used the deputy's suit. The position of Deputy Chairman of the Security Committee. You used it with a lot of arrogance. You violated the law on arrogantly classified information. Although I reminded them from the beginning. Not that they wanted to hide anything. But to break the law here where the laws for classified information are made. You violated the law on classified information and I reminded them that we had something to hide.
Violation of the law on classified information for national security. Making known vulnerable capabilities for the armed forces is a violation of the law you just consumed. You consumed a work. Violate the law on classified information by extracting classified information. You talked about buckets. You said they do not work. Those buckets have been in the air. You talked about an Airbass manufacturing hub. It was another Italian company. Now I ask you for a moment to turn off the cameras just to say a sentence. Only one minute ", said Peleshi.
But, just when Peleshi thought that no one but the deputies listened to him, the technique of the Assembly wrongly opened, for a few moments, first the audio and then the figure.
"With this company we have broken the contract for two helicopters that we are taking to NATO because, as I said, it is taking out the black water. You must join me, not be against me, against us against the Albanian state, to protect the interests of the Albanian state ", said Peleshi.
For the management of fires in this summer season, the Ministry of Defense has provided for the rental of aircraft under the argument that their purchase has a higher cost.