NATO Deputy Secretary General, Radmila Shekerinska, in an interview for Teva1, spoke about the role of KFOR in maintaining stability and security in Kosovo, as well as the importance of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
She emphasized that the security situation in Kosovo continues to be a priority for the Alliance, especially following tensions in the northern municipalities.
“NATO remains committed to security in the Western Balkans, because it is a region of strategic importance to us. Our most visible presence, our clearest commitment, is our KFOR mission. It is the Alliance’s largest mission and this is no coincidence, because we think that security in the Western Balkans is important to the Alliance and because we believe that the political dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina can be supported through our presence there. KFOR’s mission is to guarantee peace and security for all people in Kosovo, to guarantee their freedom of movement, but also, as I said, to create the right environment for political leaders to move the region forward,” said Shekerinska.
Asked about the increase in KFOR troops in Kosovo, Shekerinska said that this decision was made after the events of 2023.
“If I remember correctly, this actually happened after the events of 2023. We have increased the troops by 1,000, which is not a small number; it is one of the largest increases. We wanted to ensure that KFOR fulfills its tasks. When we say that we guarantee peace and security for all people in Kosovo and their freedom of movement, we really mean it. And that is why KFOR remains committed and that is why on the one hand we have cooperation with the institutions in Kosovo, with the Kosovo Police, but also with EULEX; we also have good cooperation with the Serbian Armed Forces. And in order to fulfill our mandate, we believed that an increase in the number of troops was necessary,” she said.
Shekerinska said that although the main focus of the foreign ministers has been on preventing, protecting and supporting Ukraine, many ministers at the meeting have raised the importance of stability in the Western Balkans.
“This was a meeting of foreign ministers of all 32 allies, dedicated to our deterrence and defense, which means increasing defense spending and all the related discussions that we had, but also very focused on supporting Ukraine. But even as we were discussing these two issues, a number of ministers raised the importance of the Western Balkans. We believe that Euro-Atlantic security, the security of our continent, depends very much on what happens in the Western Balkans, and I am happy that all ministers from the region sent the same message: that the situation in the Western Balkans should never be neglected and that the focus should remain there – both on their part and on the Alliance,” she stressed.
Finally, Shekerinska underlined that NATO and KFOR are there to support the political process, but not to replace it.
“KFOR is there to support the political dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Military presence cannot solve the challenges of long-term peace and stability; only political dialogue and sometimes painful compromises can do that,” she concluded.