Thaci: Kosovo to get army by most professional standards in region

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said today that the passage of three bills for converting KSF into the army, though delayed, is a necessary step and on the right track and full co-ordination with all international mechanisms and partners.

He during a meeting with the Kosovo Security Force team (FSK), which took third place in the “Cambrian Patrol”, said the KSF is ready for additional responsibility and to respond to the new circumstances and situations created.

“Today I'm here to congratulate and congratulate the superiors, the lieutenants, the KSF soldiers, the commander of their very good work, but also the brilliant new success they achieved days ago with their participation in a British race. Where 144 teams participated, the KSF team has won the bronze and I think it's a new achievement that should make us feel good and very proud of each of us. It is their individual, team, KSF's, state of Kosovo credit, but at the same time it has not been an easy battle, an easy race, but have managed to be ranked by 144 teams in third place. I as president of the country feel extremely good, and today I congratulate them on this success, always looking for even greater successes. I am convinced that you will achieve all the goals you have before you, now, even with the new transformation of the KSF, taking on new responsibilities, in a new, modern, multiethnic NATO standards, with gender representation, and Kosovo will gradually have its future army of standards from the most professional in the region. Of course, to contribute peace to Kosovo, in the region, but also to peaceful missions throughout the world”, he said.

The KSF commander, Lieutenant General Tman Rama, has said it has not been an easy race, but that the KSF team has managed very successfully.

Rama has said the KSF will continue its obligations and duties, which are determined by law and by the Constitution, while underlined that it will implement all obligations coming from the hierarchy.

It's one of the most prestigious races in the world and it's the second time KSF is part of this race. In the presence of 144 teams that, under the extraordinary conditions that have been in those days, I have had the chance to go and visit for a short period of time and all the reports I've received from the United Kingdom superiors have been very good for engagement, devotion, motivation and discipline that the KSF team has had. It's our duty and we'll continue and very important is that we experience these experiences, these experiences, to carry them inside our institution. Last year we organized a race these days, we called it “The patrol eagle”, the idea was to run an internal test and with the goal of making next year a competition that will be international, and with all of the experiences we've taken from”, he said.

The Kosovo Security Force, the KSF's short-listed team that has participated in the competition, won the bronze medal in the international patrol event in Wales, respectively, which has participated 137 teams, out of them 37 teams of international armies.

In this race, the KSF team has outlined a 50-mile-long navigation challenge through a series of scenarios designed to test leadership, team work and physical and mental patience of the team.

In addition to the Republic of Kosovo, teams of armed forces from countries in the region, such as Albania, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, participated in the international patrol event.