US Embassy for “Gendarmerie”: We are monitoring reports, waiting to be in line with peace and security pledges

So a spokesman for the American Embassy in Pristina told Radio Free Europe, which added that we are “moniating recent reports concerning the proposal for the creation of a gendarmerie force in Kosovo”.

On 19 May, Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs Jhelal Svechla announced that the first steps towards establishing Kosovo's Gendarmerie have been taken. He said the document for the creation of a working group that will do the analysis and proposal of modalities for the functioning of the gendarmerie has been signed.

According to Svechla, this force will have clear missions for preserving borders, integrity and territorial sovereignty, protection from terrorism, management of unrest, and protection of critical infrastructure.

Meanwhile, from NATO, which since 1999 has its peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, Free Europe told Radio that they are closely monitoring the declarations of institutions in Kosovo on the issue.

The “is up to them to comment on the matter in more details”, a NATO official said.

KFOR, who is the third security responser in Kosovo, is behind the Kosovo Police and the EU Law Endim mission, EULEX, among other things, is responsible for security on the borderline between Kosovo and Serbia.

Official of NATO said the alliance continues to co-operate with all security organisations in Kosovo and contribute to lasting security for all.

Western military alliance official also said the Council Team NATO and Interconnector (NALT) has supported the development of the Kosovo Security Force “in line with its original mandate for civil protection, through capacity building, education and training”.

“We expect that security organisations in Kosovo will continue this co-operative approach, co-ordinating with KFOR to contribute to security in Kosovo and regional stability, in the best of all communities living in Kosovo”, the official said. NATO in an answer to Radio Free Europe.

Meanwhile, from the German Embassy in Pristina, free Europe Radio said they would refrain from commenting on the issue.

News of taking first steps to establish Gendarmeria has been criticised by authorities in Belgrade, who have said that “KFOR is the only legitimate armed force in Kosovo, responsible for controlling and patrolling along the administrative line”.

Although no details are known as the precise Gendarmerie mission that Kosovo is learning to establish, the director of the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies, Mentor Vrajolli, told Radio Free Europe earlier that such a security force could receive competencies for guarding the border with Serbia, which is currently in KFOR's mandate.

According to him, Kosovo should prepare for any change in the role of NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, though saying it believes this mission will stay for years or even a decade in the country.

In this direction, he recalled that the state and KFOR have an agreement that the Kosovo Security Force is in the process of transforming into the military, that it should not go north without the consent of the peacekeeping mission, saying Gendarmerie could meet that gap.

While there is a gentleman's agreement between KFOR and KSF not to be very present in the northern part, Gendarmeria would create a new structure, which is not part of this garden agreement”, Vrajolli said.

According to him, it would enable the roles of border control and other actions that make KFOR share units that may be within the framework of the Police, or in the framework of the MPB, “that would start the process of creating local capacities and knowledge of how to deal with threats jointly with KFOR in the north and other parts of Kosovo<1>.

Sending the KSF which is in the process of transforming into military ʹ north of the country is possible only with the preliminary consent of NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, based on its 2013 pledge by the Kosovo government towards NATO.

This commitment, given through a letter by former Prime Minister Hashim Thaci to then NATO Secretary Anders Fogh Rasmussen, remains in force today, despite changes to the KSF's mandate.

Vrajolli praised that Kosovo does not need a gendarmerie that would deal with internal incidents, since it estimates Kosovo police are capable of dealing with them.

“Precisely the fact that the border line is protected by KFOR, KFOR has expanded responsibilities in this area and needs us to create our institutions that are willing to replace KFOR whenever KFOR is not there”, he said.

Gendarmerie is a security force that has military character and performs police duties. In some countries it may be part of the Interior Ministry, in others part of the armed forces.

Many states have their gendarmerie, including Kosovo's northern neighbour Serbia, whose gendarmerie functions within the police framework.

Gendar have other states, including NATO, as is the case of France. In this country, Gendarmerie is part of the armed forces. / REL/