The former commander of the Kosovo Security Force, Kadri Kastrati, spoke about the establishment of the Gendarmerie of the Republic of Kosovo.
Invited to the show "FIVE" on Dukagjini television, Kastrati said that this force is very necessary for the Republic of Kosovo and that he personally has been requesting it for a long time. However, the former commander emphasizes that this decision should not be made during a campaign.
"We have discussed earlier that Kosovo needs a force similar to the gendarmerie, and it does not mean that it must be called the gendarmerie. But it should be no less trained and equipped than the 'ROSU' Special Unit, because we have faced problems several times when Serbian forces have entered our territory and kidnapped members of the Kosovo Police. We have seen that those police officers have not been prepared, nor equipped with adequate weapons, equipment or training. For this reason, I have proposed much earlier that Kosovo should start thinking in this direction, but unfortunately not at this time. Not during a campaign", said Kastrati.
He added that the mission of this force would be to prevent illegal crossings, combat terrorism and organized crime, and guarantee security for citizens living in border areas. According to him, this force should be equipped with more sophisticated weapons and equipment than those currently possessed by the Kosovo Police.
"This force should prevent all illegal crossings, whether of terrorists as in the case of Banjska, organized crime, human trafficking, as well as guarantee the safety of citizens in the border zone. It should be a police force equipped with heavier and more sophisticated weapons and equipment than the Kosovo Police," said Kastrati.
However, the former KSF commander again criticized the timing of this decision, saying that the topic is being used for political campaigning. According to him, the establishment of such a force requires detailed analysis, professional studies and long-term planning for the number of members, equipment, training and financial cost.
"This is not done with a simple decision. Initially, the Kosovo Police must be reorganized, as was done with the Kosovo Security Force in 2011-2013, when we conducted a study with an American group on Kosovo's needs in the field of defense. The same should be done now, to determine the border force, equipment, armament, cost and number of members. Then the minister should come out and show it, and not during the campaign with decisions and signatures," he emphasized.
Kastrati also compared the situation to previous promises about mandatory military service, saying that many of them have remained just political promises.
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