Kosovo’s new parliament will vote to transform the security forces into an army as soon as it starts work next month, a senior official said.
“I believe that one of the first decisions of the Kosovo Assembly will be the formalisation of the armed forces of Kosovo,” Agim Ceku, Kosovo’s Security Forces Minister, told the Epoka e Re daily newspaper on Thursday.
“I strongly believe this project will be accomplished because it is a national project of high importance for the country and its citizens,” Ceku said.
The transformation of the Kosovo Security Forces into an army was planned for spring this year but was delayed because of early general elections.
At the time, Hashim Thaci’s government failed to push through some key decisions including the establishment of an army because he could not muster enough votes in parliament.
But Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo is now in coalition with the second-biggest party in the country, the Democratic League of Kosovo, and they will have a solid majority in the new parliament.
Ceku said he was confident that there would not be any problems in passing the law that will transform the Security Forces into an army.
“All political parties represented in the parliament are in favour of this change and I do not expect any problem or opposition to this major project. Therefore we expect votes and support from all, because the formalisation of the army is in the interest of Kosovo, its citizens and all political parties,” he said.
On Wednesday, during a ceremony making the sixth anniversary of the establishment of the Kosovo Security Force, Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga said Kosovo needs “a modern armed force, with defensive capacities which address security challenges… in accordance with NATO standards, and aiming for membership of this alliance”.
Establishing an army was “a primary task of the new parliament”, Jahjaga said, because it is “so important and necessary for the country and its citizens”.
