Despite the statements of the heads of Kosovo institutions for years that Gjakova Airport will be operational, being used for commercial, military or other services, this airport continues to be out of order.
Gjakova Airport was rebuilt by Italian KFOR and from the post-war period, until 1999, until 2013, it was used to support military activities for NATO mission operations aircraft.
In December 2013, following an agreement signed between the Government of Italy and the Government of Kosovo, has been made the transfer of Gjakova Airport to the Kosovo authorities, including all means for operations.
The value of the vehicles, which were invested in this airport by the Italian KFOR, amounted to millions of euros.
After the transfer made by the Italian KFOR, in 2014, the Government of Kosovo had established the public enterprise Gjakova Airport.
At that time, the Government of Kosovo was headed by Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi.
On April 18, 2014, Prime Minister Thaçi announced the opening of an "important flight academy, which will start operating here at Gjakova Airport".
This academy was never opened.
The same statement, adding that this airport will be operational for use for passengers, freight or even as a pilot school, was repeated in 2017 by former Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, who had allocated from the budget of state another 200 thousand euros for the needs of Gjakova Airport.
Kosovo institutions at the time did not rule out the possibility that Gjakova Airport should be given to the Turkish company Limak, which manages Prishtina International Airport.
But, all these statements and promises given year after year, were not realized and Gjakova Airport remained out of function.
In 2019, Gjakova Airport, by the decision of the Government of Kosovo, with Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, was handed over to the Ministry of Defense, which is still in use.
The decision of the Government of Kosovo provides for the indefinite use of Gjakova Civil Airport, for the strategic needs of the Ministry of Defense and the Kosovo Security Force.
But, officials of the Ministry of Defense in a written response sent to Radio Free Europe have indicated that Gjakova Airport is currently in a non-functional condition and that only the physical guard of the airport has been provided.
In the plans of the Ministry of Defense, it is stated in the response, Gjakova Airport will be used for the needs of the Kosovo Security Force and in function of its units to fulfill their legal duties.
The Ministry of Defense estimates that Gjakova Airport needs investments, which will be realized in accordance with the preliminary plans of the government and the ministry, but does not provide details on what and when this asset can be put into operation, which is considered important in Kosovo.
In 2016, the Kosovo Civil Aviation Authority, which is responsible for regulating civil aviation security and economic regulation of airports and air navigation services in Kosovo, conducted an audit at Gjakova Airport.