Kosovo Creates Army At Inappropriate Time - Macedonian Prime Minister

The partially recognized Republic of Kosovo made the decision to create a national army at an inappropriate time, which was also said by NATO, Prime Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Zoran Zaev said on Friday.

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th December, 2018) The partially recognized Republic of Kosovo made the decision to create a national army at an inappropriate time, which was also said by NATO, Prime Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Zoran Zaev said on Friday.

Earlier on Friday, the parliament of Kosovo passed a set of laws providing for the change of mandate of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) and its transformation into the republic's national army. The Kosovar army will include 5,000 servicemen and 3,000 reservists.

"That is a bad time for such a move, I know that NATO shares this point of view. We do not need a new source of tensions. We should not forget that the Balkans do not want to be a tinderbox of Europe anymore. I call on all our colleagues in the western Balkan states, who have intentions to join the European Union, to improve cooperation and to ensure permanent peace and good relations," Zaev said, as quoted by the 21TV broadcaster.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed the alliance's concern over Kosovo's decision to change the mandate of the KSF and promised to revise relations with the partially recognized republic. Stoltenberg also called on Kosovo and Serbia to avoid step that can boost tensions in the region.

Kosovo proclaimed its independence from Serbia in 2008 and was recognized by over a hundred UN member states. The move was not, however, recognized by Serbia and two permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia and China. Pristina and Belgrade are currently engaged in an EU-facilitated dialogue aimed at the normalization of relations between the sides.