The 15th contingent of Moldovan peacekeepers is being detached to Kosovo. KFOR-15 consists of 41 professional service members, specifically a general staff officer, seven bomb disposal technicians and 33 infantrymen. These will perform patrol missions and will secure and guard military facilities. The Moldovan service members will form part of the Regional Command-West and will be deployed at the Italian military base Camp Vilaggio in Pech, Kosovo, IPN reports.
“Our whole country is fully involved in international processes, especially as regards peacekeeping missions in Southeastern Europe. I’m proud that the 15th KFOR contingent for the 15th time confirms that the Republic of Moldova is not only a consumer, but also a generator of security and security is generated by the service members,” acting Prime Minister Aurel Ciocoi stated in the detachment ceremony staged at the Ministry of Defense.
For his part, Italy’s Ambassador in Chisinau Lorenzo Tomassoni said Italy welcomes the fact that the Republic of Moldova continues to take part in this mission as an operational partner, contributing to peacekeeping and international security in the Western Balkans and, together with this, to stability in Europe.
U.S. Ambassador Dereck J. Hogan stated that Moldova’s continuous commitment within the KFOR mission highlights the country’s increasing capacity to provide highly-trained peacekeepers where their assistance is needed the most. This reveals the wish to create partnerships with other nations so as to cope with the collective challenges.
Acting Minister of Defense Victor Gaiciuc thanked the Governments of Italy and the U.S. that supported the National Army’s contingents in such fields as training, deployment and logistics within areas of operations in Kosovo. “The Republic of Moldova will continue to fulfill its commitments at international level and will further take part in foreign peacekeeping missions, which does not run counter to the status of neutrality stipulated in the Constitution. To achieve this objective, we will train our troops in accordance with the international standards,” he stated.
The KFOR-15 contingent will operate in Kosovo for six months.
