Kosovo Security Force (KSF) remains one of the most trusted institutions in Kosovo, said panelists at a conference in Pristina today. KSF Minister, Rrustem Berisha, said the aim of the conference was to promote cooperation with partners and present KSF’s progress. “We also informed our partners of the steps we are taking leading to the political decision, transformation of KSF into Kosovo Armed Forces,” Berisha said.
Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations, General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, is expected to visit the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) tomorrow and meet Commander Rrahman Rama.
Yesterday, the U.S. General met in Belgrade Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and expressed NATO’s concern over the idea of transforming KSF into a Kosovo army without constitutional changes.
Daily Newspaper Večernje Novosti today writes that Pristina, by receiving Serbs in the ranks of the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF), intends to provide an argument at the time of asking the support from the international community for the formation of the Kosovo army.
They also want to alleviate the resistance of representatives of the Serbian community, writes Novosti.
The Kosovo Security Force (KSF) should be upgraded into a full-standing army and integrated into NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP), which readies countries for full NATO membership.
Kosovo Security Force Ministry presented a strategy today aimed at increasing participation of non-majority communities. KSF Minister, Haki Demolli, said on the occasion that their goal is to have a multiethnic force and that at present KSF has an 8 percent community representation. The strategy, he added, is supported by international partners, including the U.S., and will be implemented in three stages.
MP of the Serbian List in the Kosovo Parliament Nenad Rašić said that the resolution for the unconditional release of Ramush Haradinaj adopted by the Assembly of Kosovo contains and a request to stop the dialogue with Belgrade, and thus represents a kind of political pressure on the EU.
According to Rašić, this resolution is not binding. He said that the resolution has no requests of the opposition concerning the abolition of Serbian warrants for possible suspects.
President of the Kosovo Assembly, Kadri Veseli, told Kosovo Security Force (KSF) cadets at the “Adem Jashari” barracks today that he called for a meeting to discuss Kosovo entering an important process of KSF transformation into an army. “You have created the possibility of Kosovo facing a historic decision,” Veseli told the cadets. He said a Kosovo army would serve all citizens and work on good relations with all neighbours.
The news website quotes NATO officials as saying that NATO will support the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) within its current mandate. NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told Kallxo: “as the NATO Secretary General said during his recent visit to Pristina, NATO supports the development of the Kosovo Security Force within its current mandate”. Lungescu added that NATO does not decide on the structure, mandate or mission of the KSF. “This is an internal matter for Kosovo’s institutions and in line with their constitutional rights ...
Vetevendosje has come out against President Hashim Thaci’s idea to create an armed force by changing the current law on the Kosovo Security Force (KSF). Vetevendosje deputy leader, Driton Caushi, said Thaci has failed to deliver on all his promises, and the latest one will be no different. “We have continuously supported the formation of the Kosovo Armed Forces by changing the Constitution,” Caushi said.
Kosovo Assembly MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Nuredin Ibishi, raised concern today during the Assembly session for the lack of voting on the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into an Army.
According to Ibishi, after the recent events and the global events in general that endanger the security in the world, Kosovo should be capable to defend its territorial integrity.