33 minutes agoNATO's annual report: Alliance presence in Kosovo key for Balkans
Periskopi(2 years ago)
(2 years ago)The military presence of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in Kosovo is necessary for the preservation of peace and stability throughout the Western Balkan region, says NATO's annual report, which alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will present Thursday in Brussels. The report points out that for years [...]
The report notes that for years the peacekeeping mission of NATO in Kosovo, KFOR has maintained a safe environment and free movement for all communities in Kosovo, in co-operation with other international organisations such as the European Union, the United Nations and others.
In 2023, KFOR played a key role in ensuring stability in Kosovo after increasing tensions in northern Kosovo. After the outbreak of violence in May and September, the Allies deployed about 1,000 reserve forces for the mission, representing the largest increase in a dencenia. This has enabled KFOR to triple the number of patrols and redouble its presence in northern Kosovo“, the report says.
Tensions in northern Kosovo began to increase in late May 2023, after the new mayors of Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq, accompanied by Kosovo Police, entered municipal buildings.
Serbian residents rejected this and organised protests that culminated in violence 29 May in Zvecan, where dozens of KFOR demonstrators and soldiers were injured.
They escalated several months later, on September 24th, when Kosovo Police were attacked by a group of armed Serbs in Zvecan Banjska in the north of the country, where one policeman and three attackers were killed.
As a result, NATO added the number of its soldiers to the peacekeeping mission, KFOR, Kosovo.
According to Thursday's report, the KFOR mission now has 4,700 members in Kosovo, including the reserve force.
In its annual report, Stoltenberg also cites the assistance that NATO has provided to Kosovo security organisations for the construction of their capacities, especially in the field of logistics, for medical support, procurement and management of human resources, the REL reports.
Even in this report, NATO support is expressed for the European Union-brokered dialogue on normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
“NATO remains committed to supporting the facilitated dialogue by the European Union between Belgrade and Pristina. The dialogue is the main platform for achieving the solution, which respects the rights of all communities and the building of lasting peace, which benefits Kosovo's security and the stability of the entire Western Balkan region“, says the report.
This detailed report mentions NATO's main activities in the last year, from its commitment to help Ukraine cope with Russia's aggression, increased presence on the east wing to ensure protection of the territory of all member states, increased investments to strengthen the alliance's military capacities, to commitment to missions, such as KFOR in Kosovo.
NATO regularly presents an annual report on its activities.
The report presented Thursday in Brussels is considered the latest presented by current Secretary of Stoltenberg, as it is expected that soon, possibly before the Washington summit in July, the allies will agree on the appointment of Stoltenberg's successor.
