Belgrade based daily Blic today writes that although for some years now the Kosovo Army has been announced as a finished issue, apparently, ”a whole decade” awaits the Army.
Blic recall all the attempts of Pristina authorities, and the attempt to change laws, due to the impossibility to change the Constitution and thus through ”small door” transform KSF into an army.
Blic state that every attempt, was again and again stopped by the international community, and the largest promoter of the Kosovo independence, the United States.
This, however, is not the first time that, Blic writes, quoting reports from the media in Pristina, information appears in the public about how unrealistic was to expect the formation of the Kosovo army “overnight”. And the Pristina authorities, indirectly realizing it, have announced ”Plan B”. The plan foresees the process to last for several years, recently was reported by Pristina media. The reason for this is, as it was stated at the time, Serbs, whose “no” does not allow change of the constitution, and so to the transformation of the KSF into the army.
That this was what exactly happened, Major General Salvatore Cuoci confirmed just a few days ago, but also explained that forming the army is not just a change of constitution or passing of a law.
– When a decision is made, to form an army it will take at least 10 years. The question of the military is not just a matter of transition or transformation. It is a question of equipment, training, building of the capabilities and capacities – said Cuoci, adding that the formation of the army requires different trainings, more money, weapons …
Why the army will have to wait
Similarly says and the Blic source from the Kosovo Assembly. The source says that the authorities in Pristina know that they do not have the support of minorities, therefore with the stories they have been “feeling the pulse” of foreigners for years.
– Essentially, all this comes down to the story, rather than anything concrete has been done. Some plans are made, something “under the counter” was tried, but all of this is a political game. The West wants everyone, even the Serbs, to agree because it is the only legitimate way to have a political message, the source says.
According to him there are serious problems that prevent the formation of the army, like money, time for the training, procurement of equipment …
– In Kosovo, for example, there is no military health system. They also do not have any ammunition factory, and even what remained after the war were, they have destroyed, like the ammunition factory in Srbica. Everything should be done from the beginning and everything should be purchased, the source explains.
Instead of essence, a form
The source says, as per some estimates, at least 300 million euros is required for all that, and which is huge expense in Kosovo.
“Those who advocate for the army have put all this aside, because they are essentially not interested in either functionality or anything else, but the essence is a symbolic of statehood, because only countries have an army,” the Blic source says.
