The candidate for United States Ambassador to Albania, Eric Wendt, appeared today before the Foreign Relations Committee in the US Senate, as part of the confirmation procedure for the diplomatic post in Tirana.

In his speech, he stated that Porto Romano can be used to fulfill the goals of the North Atlantic Alliance.

"The Albanians I have known in Afghanistan and while leading NATO special forces have courage and professionalism. They are good soldiers and reliable partners for the alliance. I will make sure they are equipped to meet NATO's goals. Albania has met 2 percent of military spending, they have pledged to increase it to 5 percent.

"I am confident that there will be an assessment and different ways that we will find, which will go beyond military tasks to meet NATO's goals. Porto Romano is one of the key ports in Albania. If in the future there will be a secure cargo terminal and an appropriate infrastructure, it could serve as a very important point for NATO. Through the Pan-European Corridor No. 8, military equipment can move freely and this would be very beneficial for both the alliance and for American businesses that could be involved in the development of the port and infrastructure," he said.

He further added that if he is confirmed as US ambassador to our country, he will do everything to support American businesses, whether they are run by ordinary businessmen or not.

"I have no information about investments in Albania. I know that my job as ambassador is to facilitate American businesses. All without preferences. My job is to make sure I do it the right way and as far as corruption is concerned, SPAK has been very effective. When I go to the field we will understand well what is happening," he said.

Wendt has a long career spanning over three decades in the military and international security structures.

He is a retired United States Army officer with over 34 years of service. He served as commander of NATO Special Operations Command, as well as holding key positions in the Middle East and the Pacific region.

During his career, Wendt served as the U.S. Security Coordinator for the Israeli-Palestinian Authority from 2017 to 2019, as well as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Pacific Command. Wendt graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara and completed graduate studies in national security at the Naval Postgraduate School.