The government is trying to dispel doubts raised after a POLITICO report on the upcoming NATO summit in Tirana. Defense Minister Ermal Nufi said Albania has neither requested a postponement of the event nor its transfer to a virtual format, insisting that the meeting will be held in the capital in line with the Alliance’s decision.
Reaction after report raised questions
In his response, Nufi said his earlier statement had been interpreted out of context and that this, according to him, had created a mistaken impression of Albania’s official position.
According to the minister’s account, there has been no proposal from the Albanian side to postpone the summit or turn it into a virtual event.
What the minister said about a virtual meeting
Nufi’s clarification relates to a single element: the way the date of the summit may be decided. He said the leaders of allied countries could discuss and determine that date through a virtual meeting, without gathering physically solely for that issue.
According to him, that reference was not about the format of the summit itself, but only the decision-making process for the calendar.
Date still without official announcement
The minister’s statement indicates that the date of the summit has still not been made public. According to him, the decision belongs to the Alliance and the announcement will be made only after NATO communicates it officially.
This means that, despite the government’s reassuring tone, a key element of the organization still remains without public confirmation.
Government says preparations have begun
Nufi said preparations for organizing the summit in Tirana have already begun and that Albania is preparing to host the event in the country.
For now, the official position remains this: the summit is expected to take place in Tirana, while any other interpretation, according to the minister, does not represent the position of the Albanian government.
The statement aims to close the door to speculation, but without a date announced by NATO, the matter remains dependent on the Alliance’s decision-making.
So far, what has emerged publicly is the government’s denial of a postponement or virtual format, not a finalized timetable for the summit in Tirana.