Commander of KFOR: We do not plan to build a new base in the north; additional troops are arriving

Outgoing KFOR Commander Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia stated today, commenting on the current security situation in Kosovo, that this mission did not plan to build a new base in the north.

Ristuccia, who held a press conference in Pristina today at the end of his mandate, responded to Kosovo Online's question about whether, given the current situation, KFOR was considering building a new base in northern Kosovo.

"We have all the necessary capacities, we are organized, and trained, we have enough people and equipment. Great Britain and Romania have sent additional troops. At this moment, we are not considering building a new base; we have everything we need. As you know, we have been here since 1999, and in the previous period, the number of forces decreased, so we have everything we need in terms of capacity, and we are not considering building a new base," Ristuccia stated.

When asked who he had been in contact with during the incident in Banjska on September 24, when three Serbs and an Albanian police officer were killed, the KFOR Commander said that he had been in contact with everyone necessary in that situation.

"I was in contact with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, with EULEX, General Milan Mojsilovic, and ambassadors. I was in contact with everyone in an attempt to find the best way to resolve the situation. Our concern was that the situation could escalate, and we wanted to avoid civilian casualties. At that moment, there were 40 pilgrims in the Banjska Monastery," he emphasized.

Ristuccia reiterated a statement he made in an interview with Kosovo Online, saying that "the presence of KFOR troops in the Banjska area prevented events from escalating into an even more serious situation". He also emphasized that Belgrade and Pristina had to return to dialogue, and only a political solution could bring peace to the region.

He stated that the investigation into the events in Banjska was ongoing.

"We are waiting for the results, and then we will draw conclusions. We will do our best to ensure security in Kosovo in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244, including security along the administrative boundary. The terrain is difficult, with many illegal routes," Ristuccia said. Regarding the equipment seized in Banjska, he noted that "the intention of those who caused the incident was to create chaos and instability".

When asked whether he shared the same thoughts as the Kosovo institutions that the plan of the attack had been to annex the north, Ristuccia responded:  

"Those are your assumptions, not our conclusions".

Regarding whether KFOR can do more for the security of all communities in Kosovo, Ristuccia said that they were there to do everything they could to make everyone feel safe.

"Don't ask me what more KFOR can do; instead, ask both sides why they are not more constructive. NATO's deployment of additional troops shows its full commitment to calming the situation," Ristuccia emphasized.

He assessed that the situation in Kosovo was now calmer than it had been a few days ago.