Several European nations have said the Israeli premier would be detained if he set foot on their soil, following the ICC arrest warrant against him
world4 days ago
Kosovo plans to build its first state-owned ammunition factory and drone design lab, to prop up the country's defence industry, Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Wednesday at a cabinet session.
Kurti revealed plans to form an inter-ministerial commission to oversee development of the facility and lab and emphasised the need for a self-sustaining defence industry to support a big ramp-up in weapons and arms for the military due to growing tensions with Serbia.
Kurti has repeatedly said his country should be ready to face any threat from neighbouring Serbia, which still considers Kosovo part of its territory.
A military "that has been armed so much in such a short time as ours needs to ensure and guarantee full operational capability and overall sustainability," Kurti said.
Ejup Maqedonci, the defence minister, said he would chair the commission and said they had received a feasibility report from state producers in Turkey and were finalising the project.
He said that given the current security situation in Ukraine and Middle East, there was a global need to replenish ammunition and weapons stocks.
Nato still has a force of more than 4,000 peacekeepers mainly in the north part of Kosovo where in the past two years the country has seen its worst ethnic tensions since it declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
Kosovo has a light armed force but since Kurti came to power in 2021, he has stepped up the defence budget and in July 2023, Kosovo bought a batch of Turkish-made Bayraktar drones.
Early this year, the US State Department approved a sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kosovo for an estimated $75 million.
Kosovo's defence policies are in line with Nato and it aims to join the alliance, four of whose members still do not recognise Kosovo as a state.
Several European nations have said the Israeli premier would be detained if he set foot on their soil, following the ICC arrest warrant against him
world4 days ago
The mixed martial arts star denied the allegation and said he had 'fully consensual sex' with the plaintiff Nikita Hand
world4 days ago
Trump has plucked a number of presidential appointments from Fox News programs, both in his first term from 2017-2021 and since being elected again on November 5
world4 days ago
Passengers were currently being prevented from entering the building
world5 days ago
Earlier, Kenya's Energy Minister had said there was no bribery involved in the award of power contract to the Indian tycoon group
world6 days ago
Record holders from the UAE were also present in London to mark the achievement book's annual day
world6 days ago
The ICC said Israel's acceptance of the court's jurisdiction was not required
world6 days ago
The World Health Organization's cancer agency in July classified talc as 'probably carcinogenic' for humans
world1 week ago