Commander Qhetman Rama: Our name is KSF, but we are the Kosovo Army

The Kosovo Army will have 5,000 active members and 3 thousand reserves. In the KSF, they say they have asked the Kosovo government for 5.5m euros, and each year for budget growth.

The new force also awaits donations from allies, and some have been confirmed for the first half of this year.

The KSF will extend to the entire territory of the Republic of Kosovo and act according to orders it will receive.

KSF Commander Lieutenant General Nundman Rama in an interview for Kosova Prees says they have been cautious in terms of the budget, taking into account the economic situation in the country.

When we built this 10-year-old long-term plan, we were especially careful in terms of financial or budgetary terms, always taking into account the economic level and economy of our country and it's not an interest that we be a budget burden. We've asked the 5.5 million government every year to have budget growth, and we've got the financial statement and I don't see any problems that we in the future, based on our plans, in fact, all our plans are flexible, depending on the situation we're going to act on. What I can say is, we're sure that based on all of the pre-preventions we've made even during the period that the laws are not votes, I'm sure we're ready to implement our plans but we're willing to, depending on the situation, and that's why I said the laws are flexible”, he says.

The KSF plan includes professional development of members. Currently members of the Force are educated in six prestigious academys in the world, in NATO member states.

The Kosovo Security Force is starting the transformation phase in the Kosovo Army, with legal changes, rather than constitutional ones, and it has been unable to get the name.

Gen Rama says that regardless of the name, the KSF will be the Kosovo Army.

“The KSF or the Kosovo Army in the future, we are the Kosovo Army, but only the name is KSF, here we must be clear. There'll be 5 grand active, and 3 grand reserve... I follow orders and we are under civil democratic control of the Force and the decisions and orders that come we are obliged to implement”, he says.

The KSF commander shows that early this year they begin recruiting new generations that will join the Force.

Also, in the first half of the year, a 12.5m-euro dose is expected.

Last year, General Rama has signed 71 evacuations of members from the Serb community, following pressure and blackmail coming to them from Belgrade.

KSF commander says the rest of Serbs are continuing to serve there normally.

He says the doors of the Force are open to all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo who want to serve the new organisation.