On the sixteenth anniversary of NATO strikes in Kosovo, Brussels based correspondent of this daily, Augustin Palokaj, writes that each year at this date, people of Kosovo remember where they were when they heard the news of the air strikes, and remember the happiness that they felt for the end of Slobodan Milosevic’s aggression in former Yugoslavia, and his intention of creating greater Serbia. Palokaj further brings arguments which according to him give “not one but a hundred of good reasons for NATO’s intervention at that time.”

He considers that Serbs should be also understood because no one wants their state to be bombed. However, he adds, it should be explained to them that NATO intervention did not start the war, it only ended it.

He further writes that Kosovo is gradually becoming a great NATO success, despite of being far from the aspiration of those who helped and the people of Kosovo. “However, there are no problems of military nature in Kosovo... All the other challenges which are more failure than success result from the other part of the international community: UN’s UNMIK and European Union’s EULEX. Today, 16 years later, NATO continues to be the most reliable international presence in Kosovo.” Palokaj considers that despite the significant reduction of its presence in Kosovo, NATO is still irreplaceable, for both Kosovo Albanians and Serbs.

He stresses that Kosovo should have its own army, in order to reach a balance in the region; however, he considers that KFOR should remain in Kosovo until it becomes a NATO member. Palokaj considers that ideas for a future EU defense force which would replace NATO in Kosovo are not applicable. Despite the European Union’s interest and capacity, writes Palokaj, it is difficult to reach the trust and the reputation that NATO has in Kosovo.