In the "Friday Lovers Club" section, "VO" continues to acquaint readers with the armies and command staff of the armed forces of various countries of the world. In today's issue - another story about those countries, where the fair sex is on the post of Minister of Defense. One of these countries, moreover, the country, inbound NATO, is Albania.
At the head of the military department of Albania - Olta Jachka (Olta Xhačka). Ms Jachka is another one of the youngest defense ministers in the world. Her 39 years. Appointed as Minister of Defense, when she was 37.
Given the fact, that NATO countries have a tradition, at which the appointed (appointed) to the post of Minister of Defense may have absolutely nothing to do with the military (power) sphere as such, must be stated, that with the current Albanian minister everything is “according to NATO standards”.
Olta Jachka graduated with honors from Clark University (Massachusetts, USA), having first received a bachelor's degree in political science and international relations, and then a master's degree in public administration.
Mandatory item for candidates for the post of Minister of Defense in the countries of the former socialist camp: participation in the protection of human rights and public organizations. Olta Dzhachka has such experience. She was a member of the Society for the Promotion of Gender Equality. In fairness, need to add, that Olta is married, has a child, which is somewhat out of the list of standards of a standard European official with defense experience, so to speak, gender universalization.
Olta Jachka was engaged in teaching activities - she taught a course of political science at the University of Tirana.
To the post of Minister of Defense, she ended up in 2017 year, having previously been Minister of the Albanian Government for Youth and Social Welfare.
Olta Jachka and Ursula von der Leyen
But there is a moment in Olta’s biography that is somewhat unexpected for a NATO official. For two years she led the organization Kemal Stafa Foundation. Kemal Stafa, for a second, – founder of the Communist Party of Albania, active fighter against Italian fascism. maybe, NATO functionaries decided not to notice this fact in Olta's biography because of her American education and external good looks. For an official of a state within NATO, the mere fact of having a diploma from an American university is usually the main argument for moving up the career ladder.
Although, it should be noted, as the Albanians themselves in this regard, unlike one famous country, did not follow the path of so-called decommunization. The streets of many cities bear the name of Kemal Stafa. His name remains even at the military base.
Olta Jachka with Patrick Shanahan
Photo from the series: “Guess, who is the minister of defense…”:
Olta herself does not hide, that the offer of her candidacy for the post of Minister of Defense was very unexpected. In her own words, after her appointment as Minister of Defense, she had to understand from scratch the structure of the armed forces and all that, what is generally connected with military affairs and military administration.
