Kosovo is equipped with military trucks from Germany

2024-04-11 14:04:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

On Thursday, in a ceremony in Pristina, Kosovo received five military trucks worth around three million euros as support from Germany.

The Minister of Defense of Kosovo, Ejup Maqedonci, said that this assistance will affect the increase of the logistical and operational capacities of the Kosovo Security Force (FSK).

"[The donation of] 2.7 million euros we received today is in the wake of the 3.5 million euros donation we received last year from the Federal Republic of Germany," Macedonci said.

He said that Germany has played an "extraordinary" role in the growth of the Kosovo Security Force.

"The support with military vehicles for the force is only one of the areas where Germany contributes significantly to the security of our country", he added.

In addition to the five donation trucks, Kosovo will also buy 10 such German military trucks with funds from its own budget, according to the German ambassador in Pristina, Jorn Rohde.

"I want to emphasize today that the relations between Germany and Kosovo are excellent... the cooperation with the KSF is becoming closer and closer, especially in the field of security", said Rohde.

HX3 military trucks, according to the German company that manufactures them, Rheinmetall, serve to carry out tactical and logistical operations in challenging conditions and on difficult terrain.

In the Kosovo budget for 2024, approved at the end of last year, the Ministry of Defense was allocated a budget in the amount of 153,049,911 euros.

Kosovo has increased its efforts to buy weapons and other equipment this year. At the beginning of January, the US Department of State confirmed for Radio Free Europe that Kosovo has requested to buy Javelin missiles in the amount of 75 million dollars.

This comes at a time of heightened tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.

Last month, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, accused Serbia of sending the Serbian army near its border with Kosovo.

In January, the Ministry of Defense of Kosovo announced that it has requested the purchase of other weapons, in addition to 246 Javelin anti-tank missiles.

The KSF is in the process of becoming the Armed Forces of Kosovo, which started in December 2018, when the Assembly of Kosovo approved legal changes to change its mandate.

This process is planned to last ten years - until 2028.

The Kosovo Security Force currently has around 2,500 members. After the transition period, this number is expected to increase to more than 7,500 and will include active and reserve members./ REL