The German army has been stationed in Kosovo for 25 years. However, the situation in the small Balkan state is still fragile. Therefore, the deployment of German soldiers abroad will probably continue.
A broad majority in the Bundestag is in favor of continuing two Bundeswehr missions in the Balkans. In addition to the traffic light coalition, the CDU and CSU also signaled their support for extending the mandate of the KFOR mission in Kosovo at the first reading.
“We need a KFOR that can act in order to reduce the ongoing potential for conflict and escalation in the north of Kosovo and on the border with Serbia,” said the Union parliamentary group’s defence spokesman, Florian Hahn (CSU). The AfD parliamentary group even supports further German participation in the EU mission Eufor Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The federal government campaigned for an extension of both mandates, which the Bundestag is expected to vote on in the next week of its session. “The Western Balkans are our direct neighborhood,” explained Secretary of State for Defense Siemtje Möller (SPD). “Maintaining peace in this region is therefore in our own best interests.”
Bundeswehr in Kosovo for 25 years
With a duration of 25 years, the NATO mission in Kosovo is the longest-lasting foreign mission of the German armed forces. The upper limit of personnel is still 400 German troops. The international KFOR force is intended to establish a civil peace order and ensure public order in Kosovo. Recently, however, tensions have arisen again with neighboring Serbia.
The EU mission Eufor Althea, in which the German army is participating with up to 50 soldiers, is intended to ensure compliance with the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the Bosnian War in 1995. The country is still considered a potential source of conflict.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
