TIRANA, August 2 /ATA/ Minister of Defense Pirro Vengu inspected today the Pashalimani Naval Base where there is underway the technical evaluation with Italian partners with the aim of re-establishing the shipyard for the production, repair and maintenance of the Navy's ships.

The minister said that in the last 9 months, 20 defense industry manufacturing companies have expressed their interest in cooperating with the KAYO, the state-owned military production company "Made in Albania".

Vengu also said that negotiations with three of them were finalized during June and July.

"We have paved the way for the establishment of three new plants where the state is a shareholder in the production of armored vehicles and civil emergency vehicles, uniforms and personal equipment as well as ammunition", he emphasized.

Meanwhile, Vengu said that there are ongoing negotiations for the production of light weapons, as well as the assembly of artillery systems, shells and combat drones. /m.m//r.e/p.s./