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Number of Slovaks Troops in KFOR to Significantly Decrease by End of 2010
Monday 14 December 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Sajkovac, December 14 (TASR) - Slovakia plans to decrease the number of its troops in the KFOR mission in Kosovo from 140 to about 20 by the end of 2010, said Chief of Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces Lubomir Bulik on Monday during his visit in Sajkovac (Kosovo).
He said that considering the security situation there, it is not necessary to have such a big contingent in Sajkovac. Bulik added that those Slovak troops that will remain in the mission should have special capabilities especially in the reconnaissance area.
Bulik didn't specify the exact number of Slovak troops to stay in Sajkovac, and added that some of them will stay there for reason of greater operability vis-a-vis any development in the region. "It's difficult to say... when and what reduction (of troops) there will take place... At present we consider leaving there up to 20 troops," said Bulik.
Head Commander also said that the reduction of troops will be gradual to maintain security and to upkeep balance between the operational tasks and KFOR structures.
Bulik evaluated the existing activities of the Slovak soldiers in KFOR as positive. "I can be proud about what our troops do to fulfil operational tasks. This ensues from the evaluation presented by the KFOR headquarters," said the commander.
According to the Slovak Defence Minister Jaroslav Baska, the Slovak troops in Kosovo at present mainly supervise the maintenance of cease-fire between the minority Serbs and majority Albanians. They also guard some objects, such as the Monument that was visited on Monday by the Slovak delegation. The Monument is the first of nine objects that should be transferred under the guardianship of Kosovo police.
The number of Slovak troops in Bosna and Herzegovina should remain the same next year.
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