Defense budget of Albania for 2019 to rise to 1.25 pct of GDP

TIRANA, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- The defense budget in Albania for 2019 will increase to 1.25 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Albanian Defense Minister Olta Xhacka said on Thursday in her speech to the parliament.

According to Xhacka, the increase is in accordance to Albania's commitment to the NATO. She emphasized the "NATO's demand to the member countries is to increase their defence budget up to 2 percent of the GDP by 2024."

The minister said the budget will be used to increase the salaries of the servicemen as well as for the army upgrade and training of the servicemen according to the best NATO standards.

The defense budget for 2018 was 1.17 percent of Albania's GDP.