The sixth National Army contingent that consists of 40 service members was detached to take part in the mission of the Kosovo Force (KFOR), which is an UN-administered North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led international peacekeeping force responsible for establishing a secure environment in Kosovo, IPN reports.

Attending the deployment ceremony, President Nicolae Timofti said the participation in international peacekeeping missions for the Republic of Moldova is a method of implementing the security through cooperation principle. “The carrying out of missions outside the Republic of Moldova implies a lot of responsibility and necessitates professionalism, assumed commitment, devotion and sacrifice,” noted the Head of State.

Minister of Defense Anatolie Salaru said the geopolitical situation in Kosovo requires the presence of Moldovan service members. “Today, for the sixth time, we send a group of envoys to Kosovo to transmit our message to our NATO friends and tell them that the Republic of Moldova is near the civilized world in the peacekeeping operations,” stated the minister.

Italy’s Ambassador to Moldova Enrico Nunziata said the sending of infantry platoons and bomb disposal engineers to the Italian base Task Force within the KFOR mission shows that Moldova, maintaining the status of neutrality enshrined in the Constitution, wants to be present an international level by cooperating with the NATO bodies. “Italy is ready to support the Moldovan contingent of service members who, as we ascertained during these two years, are well trained for peacekeeping missions and missions to provide assistance to the population in Kosovo,” stated the diplomat.

Moldova became a member of the United Nations in 1992, assuming thus a number of obligations, including to contribute to maintaining international security. Staring with 2003, about 300 Moldovan service members have worked to maintain peace in the world under the aegis of the UN.