Albania (Washington Insider Magazine) -U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL) on Aug. 18-19 visited Albania where he toured the Kucova Air Base, met with Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi and Chief of General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Bajram Begaj, and planned to greet Afghan asylum seekers arriving for temporary resettlement en route to the United States.
While the flights carrying the asylum seekers never arrived, Quigley, who represents Illinois’ 5th District, commended Albania’s commitment to aiding evacuations from Afghanistan. Albania has agreed to shelter Afghans fleeing their country temporarily while they wait for visas to enter the U.S.
“The United States is grateful to Prime Minister Rama and the people of Albania for leading the initiative to welcome Afghans into their nation,” he wrote in an Aug. 20 statement.
Albania joined NATO in 2009, as the U.S. used NATO membership to draw Western Balkan countries closer to the West. The Kucova Air Base has received a NATO security investment of 51 million euros ($58 million) to improve its infrastructure and bring it up to NATO standards as part of NATO’s Security Investment Program.
U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim emphasized the impact of the investment in the air base in a Facebook post after Quigley’s visit.
“The base is the first footprint of NATO in the Western Balkans as it will transform Kucova into the first NATO air base for the region,” Defence Minister Olta Xhacka told Reuters in 2018, explaining the importance of this base both to NATO’s relationship with Albania and the region.
Quigley’s gratitude for the country’s assistance in resettling asylum seekers was shared across Washington, where the evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies from Afghanistan has been a primary focus since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan following U.S. withdrawal.
Albania’s Balkan neighbors, Kosovo and North Macedonia, also offered temporary refuge to Afghans seeking U.S. visas after fleeing Taliban rule.
“In Albania, the concept of ‘besa’ means word of honor, or to keep a promise. This country has a proud tradition of welcoming strangers, saving lives, and keeping their promises to those in need,” said Quigley.
“I welcome the Albanian government’s decision to give temporary safe haven to those fleeing the Taliban onslaught in Afghanistan,” Sen. Bob Mendendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, tweeted. “The people of Albania are once again showing the world what ‘BESA’ means. You have our respect and thanks.”
