BRATISLAVA, October 26, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovak Parliament has approved on Tuesday the withdrawal of the country’s troops deployed in the KFOR mission in Kosovo. Slovakia currently has 138 soldiers in Kosovo, which it does not recognize as an independent country. The costs of their withdrawal will reach EUR 1.5 million. „We have said already 18 months ago that we will pull out our units from Kosovo. In line with the government program statement we will concentrate on fewer missions but of a higher quality. Our top priority is the ISAF operation in Afghanistan,“ said Defense Minister Lubomir Galko. Slovak troops should leave Kosovo by the end of November.
After the departure from Kosovo, Slovakia plans to increase its participation in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Galko specified that from 300 to 400 Slovak soldiers will be serving in the central Asian country. Currently, about 300 members of the Slovak armed forces are deployed in Afghanistan.
Slovak troops have been active in KFOR since September 7, 1999. From 2001, a mechanized company of 100 soldiers has been serving in Kosovo within a joint Czech and Slovak battalion. As the Western Balkans is one of Slovakia’s priorities in foreign and security policy, Slovak troops will continue their operation in the ALTHEA mission in BiH.
SITA