The Republic of Moldova has detached the16th National Army contingent to the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. “We managed to confirm once again the preparedness and professionalism of the National Army’s service members in international operation theaters. This way we became reliable partners for the other participating states and contribute, by the presence of our service members, to international security,” Minister of Defense Anatolie Nosatyi stated in a ceremony held at the General Staff Regiment “Brigade General Nicolae Petrică”. The official said all the 15 contingents detached to Kosovo so far fulfilled the duties entrusted to them with dedication and professionalism, IPN reports.
The Moldovan service members form part of the Regional Command West and will live at an Italian military base. Moldova’s participation in KFOR with a contingent of peacekeepers is an extraordinary opportunity for showing the professional abilities and our value,” said Lorenzo Tomassoni, Italy’s Ambassador to Moldova. He noted that the stability of a whole region that is very important for maintaining security in Europe – Western Balkans – depends on the mission conducted in Kosovo. In 2022, the maintaining of international peace and security, including on the European contingent, will face different challenges. The diplomat mentioned the crisis in Ukraine that has worsened the past few weeks, noting the solid contribution of the operational partners from Moldova to the peacekeeping operation in Kosovo, whose utility is appreciated both in the East and the West.
The mission in Kosovo is an example of successful strengthening of peace and security on the European contingent. “For the Republic of Moldova, the participation in this mission is an opportunity for contributing to the international peacekeeping effort with a small contingent. The Moldovan service members will be able to improve their skills and to develop interoperability in the extreme conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic all over the world. The 40 service members of the National Army will contribute to stabilizing the region that was shaken by an armed conflict and will facilitate the peacekeeping processes in their area of responsibility,” said Major Alexandru Severin, of the Protocol Service of the Ministry of Defense.
The peacekeeping mission in Kosovo followed the NATO peacekeeping mission launched in 1999. Moldova detached the first National Army contingent to Kosovo on March 8, 2014. Moldova detaches by 40 service members who work for six months in Kosovo. The KFOR 16 contingent is led by Lieutenant-Colonel Vladimir Kovalenko.
