Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi stated this Wednesday that a 7% salary increase has been approved for all military personnel, starting from the basic soldier up to the soldier with the highest ranks.

According to the defense minister, the salary increase for the military sector will be annual.

Minister Peleshi also spoke about the salaries of military students, who, as he says, are the only students who not only do not pay tuition but are paid, so he sees this as one more reason for young people to join the Armed Forces of Albania.

“At the Prime Minister’s proposal, the Council of Ministers has approved a 7% salary increase, starting today, that is, a decision that comes into force immediately, from March 1, for all military personnel, from the basic soldier to the highest ranks. The salary increase is not a spontaneous phenomenon, but has now become annual. It has been promised by the Prime Minister that it will be like this, so every year we will have salary increases until our soldiers reach a dignified salary level. I can say that even today the salaries are decent, but we want to reach the average of the countries in the space where we belong and where we are allies, that is, in NATO. Today, if you are 18 years old and you have been recruited into the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania, or you have been accepted as a student cadet, the payment of 55,000 Lek, 550 dollars, plus 1,000 Lek, which is food treatment, starts immediately. That unlike all other students, not only do they not pay, but they are paid with a salary, which is the salary of a basic soldier. Then according to the ranks, the salary increases. The average salary level is 87,000 ALL. Last year we made the historic salary increase of 30%. This 7% is applied on top of that 30%, if we compare the salary of a soldier on March 1, 2023, with the salary of a soldier on March 1, 2022, today the salary is 40% higher. This is one more reason for young people to become part of the Armed Forces”, declared Minister Niko Peleshi.