Kosovo Not Worried About NATO Drawdown

Kosovo officials say that they are not worried about the planned reduction of NATO forces in the country.

Anders Rasmussen, NATO’s new secretary general, said on Tuesday that he wanted to see Kosovo Force, KFOR, “reduced to just a small reaction force, or out altogether” within his four-year term. 

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajdredin Kuci responded that there is no reason to be concerned about the diminution of NATO forces.

“We have no reason to be worried about the reduction of KFOR’s troops in Kosovo. NATO will continue to be present in Kosovo until we become a part of this alliance”, he told daily Zeri.

Kuci added that Kosovo’s Security Force will be increasing their protective measures nation-wide as the NATO troop drawdown takes effect.

“The reduction of KFOR in Kosovo will be in accordance with the increase of the Kosovo Security Force’s capacities”, he said.

The general secretary of the opposition Future Alliance of Kosovo party, Burim Ramadani, said that the country needs to be more efficient in increasing the capabilites of its security services.

“I believe that KFOR will still be present in Kosovo, however, at the same time we have to be more effective in building our security mechanisms such as the Kosovo Security Force, Kosovo Police, Kosovo Intelligence Agency and all the other mechanisms that involve security in our country,” he said.