Editing Albania (section)

=== Military ===
{{Main|Armed Forces of Albania}}

[[File:Albanian special operations forces, provide security as Afghan Border Police (ABP) break ground on a new checkpoint in the district of Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 25, 2013 130325-A-MX357-127.jpg|thumb|right|[[Albanian Land Force|Albanian soldiers]] in the [[Kandahar Province|Province of Kandahar]], Afghanistan]]

The [[Albanian Armed Forces]] consist of [[Albanian Land Force|Land]], [[Albanian Air Force|Air]] and [[Albanian Naval Force|Naval Force]]s and constitute the military and paramilitary forces of the country. They are led by a [[commander-in-chief]] under the supervision of the [[Ministry of Defence (Albania)|Ministry of Defence]] and by the [[President of Albania|President]] as the supreme commander during wartime. However, in times of peace its powers are executed through the [[Prime Minister of Albania|Prime Minister]] and the [[Ministry of Defence (Albania)|Defence Minister]].<ref name="constitution">{{cite constitution |article=169 |section=1 |country=Albania |ratified=28 November 1998 |url=http://www.osce.org/albania/41888 |access-date=6 July 2016}}</ref>

The chief purpose of the armed forces of Albania is the defence of the independence, the [[sovereignty]] and the [[territorial integrity]] of the country, as well as the participation in humanitarian, combat, non-combat and peace support operations.<ref name="constitution"/> [[Military service]] is voluntary since 2010 with the age of 19 being the legal minimum age for the duty.<ref>{{cite web|title=Albania to end conscription by 2010|url=https://www.wri-irg.org/node/745|website=wri-irg.org |date=22 August 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Albania Military 2017|url=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/albania/albania_military.html|website=theodora.com}}</ref>

Albania has committed to increase the participations in multinational operations.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Ministry of Defence|title=Engagement Policy and evidence of AAF participation in PK missions|url=http://www.mod.gov.al/arkiv/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=902:politika-e-angazhimit-dhe-evidenca-e-pjesemarrjes-se-farsh-ne-misione-paqeruajtese-dhe-luftarake-te-drejtuara-nga-nato-be-dhe-okb&catid=197:misione-nderkombetare&Itemid=588|website=mod.gov.al|author1-link=Ministry of Defence (Albania)}}</ref> Since the fall of communism, the country has participated in six international missions but only one United Nations mission in [[UNOMIG|Georgia]], where it sent three military observers. Since February 2008, Albania has participated officially in NATO's [[Operation Active Endeavor]] in the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<ref>[http://www.nato.int/isminor sues/active_endeavour/index.html Operation Active Endeavour]. nato.int {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830210539/http://www.nato.int/issues/active_endeavour/index.html |date=30 August 2011}}</ref> It was invited to join NATO on 3 April 2008, and it became a full member on 2 April 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=Albania membership Nato |publisher=NATO |url=http://www.nato.int/issues/nato_albania/evolution.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728003727/http://www.nato.int/issues/nato_albania/evolution.html |archive-date=28 July 2011}}</ref>

Albania reduced the number of active troops from 65,000 in 1988 to 14,500 in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1935630.stm |work=BBC News |title=Albania sells off its military hardware |date=17 April 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2008/08/21/feature-03 |title=Albania to abolish conscription by 2010 |work=Southeast European Times |date=21 August 2008 |access-date=29 December 2009}}</ref> The military now consists mainly of a small fleet of aircraft and sea vessels. Increasing the military budget was one of the most important conditions for [[NATO]] integration. As of 1996 military spending was an estimated 1.5% of the country's GDP, only to peak in 2009 at 2% and fall again to 1.5%.<ref>{{cite web|title=Albanian military expenditure as % of GDP|url=https://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=ms_mil_xpnd_gd_zs&idim=country:ALB&dl=en&q=military+expenditure+of+albania#!ctype=l&strail=false&bcs=d&nselm=h&met_y=ms_mil_xpnd_gd_zs&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=region&idim=country:ALB&ifdim=region&dl=en&ind=false|publisher=World Bank}}</ref>