Albanian Commandos in Afghanistan, two months without pay

TIRANE-Albanian Special Forces peacekeeping contingent "Eagle-1", which ended military mission in Afghanistan still have not received salaries even though they have since returned from Kandahar on 8 February.

The news was officially confirmed yesterday for "Gazeta Shqiptare" by chief of General Staff of Armed Forces, Maksim Malaj. "It is true that effective that just came back from the mission in Afghanistan has not been paid yet. But do let me know that payment procedures are ready and everything has remained hostage to the Treasury Branch "- confirmed General Malaj.

Asked by "Gazeta Shqiptare" be completed when these payments, he explained that "it's a matter of weeks", without giving thus a concrete date. Peacekeeping contingent "Eagle-1", consisted of 44 officers, NCOs and professional soldiers, effective Special Battalion of Land Forces, who for the first engaged in ground combat operations alongside U.S. forces.

Each of them, according to DCM benefits specifically a monthly salary of 360 thousand lek. The contingent departed from Albania on 29 July 2010 and returned home on February 8. So, the mission of these effectives was 6-months. With a simple arithmetic government owes each of 44 special forces who have returned from Afghanistan, a total of 2,160,000 million leks.