We Need to Know Kosovo’s Real Face

Kosovo is a complex area, struggling with both foreign and domestic policy challenges, the security of which has undoubtedly been guaranteed by KFOR in the past two decades. The kinetic and non-kinetic subunits conduct a co-ordinated activity in the interest of the long-term peace in the region. KFOR is NATO’s largest mission, the objective of which is by guaranteeing a safe environment and the freedom of movement to establish a society capable of development, which will be able to independently cope with its problems, thereby creating a stable and secure environment in the area and in the continent.

The liaison and monitoring activities are at least as important among the tasks of the KFOR peace-keeping mission, as the preparedness of the tactical subunits. The team significantly contributes to the planning of the operational objectives, to facilitating the KFOR Commander’s decision-making, thus it basically determines the guidelines for the exercises and the everyday tasks.

The team assigned to the KFOR Tactical Reserve Battalion (KTRBN) contingent and operating in the subordination of the KFOR Joint Regional Detachment Center (JRD-C) in Podujevo municipality, together with three subunits collect open information, via regular and organised meetings and through monitoring the events about the processes taking place in the civilian environment of the municipality, thereby trying to forecast the changes affecting the mission of KFOR. They ensure the flow of information between the civilian and the military sides and with their constant presence they convey the message of stability to the communities living in Kosovo, emphasising the significance of KFOR’s peace-keeping activity in Kosovo’s peaceful and stable presence and future.

The communication with the educational institutions is another focus area, as the development of the society is built on the future generation. During these visits, they often take KFOR’s youth magazine, ForYou with them, which helps increase the awareness and legitimacy of the KFOR mission among young people.

The Liaison and Monitoring Team meets with Captain Bekim Bislimi, the Police Chief of Pdujevo on a weekly basis, who gives briefings on the public security of the municipality and the events posing a potential threat to the safe environment. Currently – from the aspect of security – the wave of strikes of the public sector workers, and the related protests pose the greatest challenge. The Kosovo Police conducts ongoing preventive activity, and fights to stop or prevent all actions that have hampered the social development of the region in the past two decades.