Kosovo pledges major boost to defence spending and aims for NATO membership
Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced a substantial increase in Kosovo's defence budget and outlined plans to expand the armed forces and start domestic ammunition production.
During the oath-taking of fresh members of the Kosovo Security Forces, Prime Minister Albin Kurti detailed a sweeping defence investment programme. The cabinet intends to spend more than 430 million euros on new weaponry, citing purchases such as Bayraktar drones from Turkey. Kurti highlighted that 3,220 new troops have already been enlisted and that the total force, now around 5,000 strong, will be more than doubled to meet a 2028 development target.
He announced that a government-owned ammunition factory in Gjakova will start production before the end of the year, and that private companies involved in defence manufacturing will receive state support. The reforms follow legislation passed in December 2018 that allows the security forces to be transformed into a full army over a ten-year period, a move opposed by Serbia, which still claims Kosovo as its province. NATO-led KFOR continues to play a key security role in the region.
Why it matters
Kosovo's defence expansion signals a push for NATO entry and reshapes security dynamics in the Balkans.
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