The ammunition factory in Kosovo is expected to be built and start production within the year 2027.
This is confirmed by the Ministry of Defense for A2 CNN who say that the production will be in accordance with NATO standards, and will meet the needs of the Kosovo Police. Kosovo and the security institutions, with the aim of starting with export after a few years.
"It will begin with the production of 5.56mm and 7.62mm caliber ammunition, which is ammunition for infantry weapons, specifically individual military rifles as well as light machine guns, and which constitute the type of ammunition that is mostly spent during exercises and operations combat", reports the Ministry of Defense.
The contract is classified as secret, but what is said is that in addition to the production machinery, staff training, maintenance for a period of time, as well as the equipment with quality and calibration systems are also included. Once production begins, the factory will operate as a public enterprise and as a 100% Kosovo brand.
Although not of the quality intended to be the ammunition of the new factory and not for the army and police of the Republic of Kosovo, ammunition was once produced in Skenderaj.
Spread over 18 hectares of land, the former ammunition factory in Skenderaj operated with four departments with a capacity of 4,500 bullets per hour.
"The capacity was 74 pieces for 1 minute, which is 4440 pieces for one hour. Only 5 hours of work 22 thousand 200 pieces. The factory worked in three shifts, which means that for three shifts only one line produced 66 thousand 600 pieces", says Haxhi Qerimi, representative of the workers of the ammunition factory.
The factory started production in 1977 until 1991 when the Albanian workers, after violent measures, left the job. It was converted into a Serbian military base and later bombed.
Over 300 workers worked in the former ammunition factory, including one of the most emblematic figures of Kosovo's liberation war, Hamëz Jashari.
Four types of bullets for hunting weapons were produced in this factory.
"We produced Indians, F12, F16, F20, F20 were taken by the USA, while F12 and F16 were also sold in Yugoslavia and received by Western countries, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the Scandinavian countries because the price was cheap because the material first we got ours, the bullet, in Zveçan", adds Qerimi.
The Ministry of Defense is evaluating several properties for the establishment of the new ammunition factory, but none of them is the location of the former factory in Skenderaj.
Due to the proximity to the towers of Jasharaj in Prekaz, the entire space in 2023 has passed to the "Adem Jashari" memorial complex.
Although the former workers are retired, they are ready to help if asked.
"Wherever they want to build, I will give what I know and what I can without any problem. With the greatest pleasure", declared Qerimi.
The factory today is in a dilapidated condition with outdated and unusable machinery. They are simply evidence that ammunition was once produced here.
On Monday, the Government signed an agreement with the Turkish manufacturer MKE for the operationalization of the ammunition factory in Kosovo. In the plan for the establishment of the armaments industry, the design of drones is foreseen, but there is still no agreement on this. (A2 Televizion)
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