![Megi Llubani](http://appa.brentonkotorri.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Megi-300x300.jpg)
Megi Llubani
1- A career in the military or not!
Following the campaign of the Ministry of Defense to attract the interest of young people in the recruitment for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania, Deputy Minister of Defense, Mr. Petro Koci, visited at the beginning of May ‘’Petro Nini Luarasi’’ high school. According to the notification in the official website of the ministry, the meeting was greeted by the Chief of the Recruitment and Personnel Center according to whom: ‘’If you are recruited and become part of the Armed Forces, the benefits and opportunities are bigger, as it is related to a regular employment contract, free health benefits for yourselves and your family, study opportunies abroad and other qualifications, you are equipped with the value of a professional soldiers who profits from rights foreseen in the Military Status of the Rebpulic of Albania’’. Together with the greeting word of the Deputy Minister, we can deduct that the main symbolic of this meeting and the invitation to be part of the Armed Forces are:
- Become part of the armed forces to avoid unemployment
- Become part of the armed forces to travel abroad for free
- Become part of the armed forces because there are many benefits
In another meeting with high school students at Sami Frasheri, Minister Kodheli said that the Albanian Armed Forces are ‘’the best part of the Albanian society’’.
While these are mechanisms used to attract the attention of young people and provide an optimistic panorama for what expects them if they consider such a profession, several other facts are left out or ‘’forgotten’’, on belonging to the armed forces. One of them is the salary for different ranks and the average time needed to pass from one rank to the other. According to the table of salaries for the armed forces published in 2013:
- The maximum salary for soldiers/marines is 38 500 leke, for those with 6 or more years of experience, while the minmun period to pass from Soldier I to Soldier IV is 7 years (combined). This means that in this rank for averagely 7 years the salary of a professional soldier will increase by a maximum of 8000 leke, so approximately 1000 leke per year.
- For non-commissioned officers minimum wages reach 33 400 leke up to 58 300 leke for 26 years of experience. To pass 5 ranks in this category and with average time of 5 years in one rank, the wage changes only by 20 100 leke (33400-53500)
- For officers 45 100 leke (approximately 10 000 leke more than the lowest grade of non-commissioned officers) and maximum salary reaches 157 000 for Admiral with 26 years of service. In this category, passing from second lieutenant to the highest rank requires at least 3 to 6 years for each rank in between, or a total of 34 years (referring to the law on career in the Albanian armed forces).
2- Time to clean the coastline
On the seventh of May, a decision of the Council of Ministers approved an extension in the budget of the Ministry of Defense, aiming to cover expenses of structures involved in cleaning up the Albanian coastline during the touristic season. A fund of 14 million leke was at the disposal of the Ministry of Defense, that will have to sign an agreement with the Ministry of Economic Development, Tourism, Trade and Entrepreneurship. According to DCM no. 393, these two ministries will sign an agreement to establish the team that will engage in the activity, the areas to be covered and other operational elements. Although the decision was published on May 19, there is no notification yet from the Ministry of Defense, which seems busy organizing meetings on the benefits of being in the military and neither from the Ministry of Economic Development. The sum allocated for this ministry is considerable and it would be valuable to publish the details of the agreement between the two ministries, the work plan and how the budget items will be distributed among them. Until now this information is inaccessible.
References:
1- Ministria e Mbrojtjes. 8 maj 2015. Vijon fushata për rekrutimin në Forcat e Armatosura. Online: http://www.mod.gov.al/index.php/neësroom-2/1105-vijon-fushata-per-rekrutimin-ne-forcat-e-armatosura
2- Qendra e Botimeve Zyrtare. Fletorja Zyrtare e Republikës së Shqipërisë nr. 78. 19 maj 2015. Vendim i Këshillit të Ministrave nr. 393 Për një shtesë fondi në buxhetin e vitit 2015, miratuar për Ministrinë e Mbrojtjes, për mbulimin e shpenzimeve të strukturave të angazhuara për pastrimin e zonave bregdetare. Online:
http://www.qbz.gov.al/botime/fletore_zyrtare/2015/PDF-2015/78-2015.pdf
3- Gazeta Panorama. Korrik 2013. Tabelat e plota: Pagat e reja për policët dhe ushtarakët. Online: http://www.panorama.com.al/tabelat-e-plota-pagat-e-reja-per-policet-dhe-ushtaraket/
4-Republika e Shqipërisë, Kuvendi. Ligj 59/2014. Për karrierën ushtarake në Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë. Online:
http://www.mod.gov.al/images/akteligjore/gradat/59_2014.pdf