A determination to transform KSF into military

Representatives of institutions, but also deputies of the Kosovo Assembly say Kosovo has the blessing of the United States of America, Kosovo Department of Defence for Army, respectively. The Kosovo Assembly is already looking into the package of three Kosovo Security Force bills that has been adopted in Government.

After returning from the United States, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said that with the support of American friends and the work of institutions, Kosovo will have its own army.

Deputy Minister of the Kosovo Security Force Burim Ramadani said all procedures for transforming the KSF are in line with NATO democratic concepts and standards.

He said the draft laws adopted by the Kosovo government are in regular procedure and are expected to be passed under the rules of the Parliament.

Of course, the Kosovo Security Force transition is complete and there should be no dilemma here. The same name remains, meanwhile, the mandate, mission, authorisations, competencies, as well as the ministry's structure will be changed in full compliance with the 10-year transition plan of KSF”, Ramadani said.

Kosovo Assembly MPs say it is time for the KSF to be completed.

MP Anton Quinn, from the opposition Democratic League of Kosovo, told Radio Free Europe that since the transformation of the KSF, it cannot be done with constitutional changes, it should now be investigated and found alternative roads, which should also be supported by the international community or strategic partnership.

If we had the support of the Serb community, then this issue would be addressed with the Constitution. But no one has the right to veto when national security is at stake, meaning [they] are misusing this right. We also need to look for alternative ways, since we do not have common language on this subject. Of course we have to work to secure the support of the international community”, said MP Quinn.

Meanwhile, Haxhi Shala, chairman of the Commission for Internal Affairs, Security and Supervisor of the Kosovo Security Force by the ruling political party Social Democrat Initiative, said that with the adoption of new laws, the KSF would have additional competencies.

“In vain three laws we cannot say that we have a complete transformation of the Kosovo Army, we are giving additional competencies or amending laws for KSF. With amendments to the laws for KSF a large portion of the competencies will be added”, Shala said.

He said the current Kosovo Security Force troops have evolved and it is necessary to have additional changes and competencies there.

“I believe there will be no objections in the Kosovo Assembly from any community regarding the conduct of these three laws, and at the same time the international factor does not say what it says is the task of our institutions, since this is the work of our institutions to have the laws as efficient in making security institutions and other institutions”, Shala said.

Otherwise, within this week, the Kosovo Security Commission for Internal Affairs, Security and Supervision will review laws adopted by the government and later at one of the next sessions in the Kosovo Assembly are expected to be introduced in the agenda.

The Serbian list, represented in the Kosovo Assembly, has consistently rejected the KSF's transformation into Armed Forces.

Officials of this political subject have said the Serbian List will not support the formation of the Kosovo Army.

The Kosovo Security Force is a multiethnic, uniformised and equipped with light weapons.

The KSF was established in 2009, according to the General Plan for the Status of Kosovo, of President Martti Ahtisaari, on which Kosovo's independence was declared.

The KSF numbers more than 2,000 members, of whom 200 belong to minority communities, while some of the members of the Serb community have left this force following pressure from Belgrade to be part of the KSF. /rel