9 minutes agoKastrati: Army fully ready in 2025
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)According to former Kosovo Security Force Commander Kadri Kastrati, Kosovo may have armies completely ready in 2025, despite the strategic plan envisioning that this will take place for ten years. In KTV's interactive, Kastrati has said seven years will suffice for Kosovo to have forces with [...]
In KTV's interactive, Kastrati has said seven years would suffice for Kosovo to have full operational and military capacities.
“Reviewing the force strategy started in 2012 and was carried out in 2014. Four years we lost them, but I'm still very happy. I wish we had strength no matter how late we were four years it's good we started this process. Two years ago I publicly recommended and advised institutions to start talking to our partners, especially the US and NATO countries, because since then it is seen that the Serbian List is willing to vote not only for the Army with constitutional changes, but no action leading Kosovo forward. We finally saw that strategic partners, NATO, convinced that Serbs did not vote on changes and gave permission for legal changes. The name we do not change, but the mandate and tasks will be military and Kosovo will have its own army”, he has said. “When strategic revision is made is prepare a plan as to how to develop. Since then, studies have been conducted in cooperation with our US partner. Then it is for this development plan to take about 10 years. But after we've been delayed and have human capacity, budgetary, I recommend that this development not last more than seven years. The army may be ready in 2025 with all operational activity and may participate in peacekeeping missions”.
According to Kastrati, the KSF is now ready to participate in various missions. He has said that the name Security Force does no harm to the role of this force. According to him, NATO rejects the military because of the name.
As far as weapons are concerned, Kastrati said that the role of The KSF will be protective and will have weapons for protection, not offensive weapons.
“There'll be tanks, fighter aircraft because they're offensive weapons, but there'll be all other protective calibres. I believe the government will pass all phases to secure the necessary weapons necessary for”, he added.
Kastrati has said the army will have access to any part of Kosovo's territory, as necessary. He has added that NATO, with the development of the KSF, will leave all competence to the Kosovo Army.
Kastrati has also talked about the removal of dozens of KSF members from the Serb community. According to him, this is due to political pressures from Serbia and Serb leaders in Kosovo. He has said it is a pity because, according to him, the military is in the best interests of Serbs and all communities living in Kosovo.
