US: We expect Kosovo's plan for the Gendarmerie to be in line with peace commitments

The United States expects the Kosovo government's plan to establish the Gendarmerie to be "consistent with its commitments to maintaining peace and security."

This was told to Radio Free Europe by a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Pristina, who added that we are "monitoring the latest announcements regarding the proposal to create a gendarmerie force in Kosovo."

On May 19, the acting Minister of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, Xhelal Sveçla, announced that the first steps towards the establishment of the Kosovo Gendarmerie have been taken. He said that a document has been signed to create a working group that will analyze and propose modalities for the functioning of the gendarmerie.

According to Sveçla, this force will have a clear mission to safeguard borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty, protect against terrorism, manage riots, and protect critical infrastructure.

Meanwhile, NATO, which has had its peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, since 1999, told Radio Free Europe that they are closely monitoring the statements of institutions in Kosovo on this issue.

"It is up to them to comment in more detail" on the matter, a NATO official said.

KFOR, which is the third security responder in Kosovo – after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law mission, EULEX – is responsible, among other things, for security on the border between Kosovo and Serbia.

The NATO official said that the alliance continues to cooperate with all security organizations in Kosovo and contribute to sustainable security for all.

The Western military alliance official also said that the NATO Advisory and Liaison Team (NALT) has supported the development of the Kosovo Security Force “in line with its original mandate for civil protection, through capacity building, education and training.”

"We expect security organizations in Kosovo to continue this cooperative approach, coordinating with KFOR to contribute to security in Kosovo and regional stability, for the benefit of all communities living in Kosovo," the NATO official said in a response to Radio Free Europe.

Meanwhile, the German Embassy in Pristina told Radio Free Europe that they will refrain from commenting on this issue.

The news of the first steps being taken to establish the Gendarmerie has been criticized by authorities in Belgrade, who have said that "KFOR is the only legitimate armed force in Kosovo, responsible for controlling and patrolling along the administrative line."

Although details are not known about the exact mission of the Gendarmerie that Kosovo intends to establish, the director of the Kosovo Center for Security Studies, Mentor Vrajolli, previously told Radio Free Europe that such a security force could assume powers to guard the border with Serbia, which is currently under the mandate of KFOR.

According to him, Kosovo must prepare for any change in the role of NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, although he said he believes this mission will remain in the country for years or even a decade.

In this regard, he recalled that the state and KFOR have an agreement that the Kosovo Security Force - which is in the process of transforming into an army - will not go to the north without the consent of the peacekeeping mission, saying that the Gendarmerie could fill this gap.

"While there is a gentleman's agreement between KFOR and the KSF not to be too present in the northern part, the Gendarmerie would create a new structure, which is not part of this gentleman's agreement," said Vrajolli.

According to him, this would enable the roles of border control and other actions carried out by KFOR to be shared with units that could be within the Police, or within the Ministry of Interior, "which would begin as soon as possible the process of creating local capacities and knowledge on how to deal with threats jointly with KFOR in the north and other parts of Kosovo."

The deployment of the KSF – which is in the process of being transformed into an army – to the north of the country is only possible with the prior consent of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, based on the 2013 commitment by the Kosovo Government to NATO.

This commitment, given through a letter from former Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi to the then NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, remains in force today, despite changes in the KSF's mandate.

Vrajolli assessed that Kosovo does not need to have a gendarmerie that would deal with internal incidents, as he believes that the Kosovo Police is capable of dealing with them.

"The very fact that the border line is protected by KFOR, KFOR has expanded responsibilities in this area and it is necessary for us to create our own institutions that are ready to replace KFOR whenever KFOR is not there," he said.

The gendarmerie is a security force that has a military character and performs police duties. In some countries it may be part of the Ministry of Interior, in others part of the armed forces.

Many countries have their own gendarmerie, including Kosovo's northern neighbor, Serbia, whose gendarmerie operates within the police.

Other countries, including NATO countries, have gendarmes, as is the case in France. In this country, the Gendarmerie is part of the armed forces.