Pristina - 17 January 2014, PRISTINA, Kosovo. Today the Commander of Italian Land Forces Lieutenant-General Roberto BERNARDINI visited HQ KFOR in Pristina and met with the KFOR Commander Major-General Salvatore FARINA.

 

The Italian Generals discussed the current security and political situation in Kosovo as well as the wider Balkans region and the latest developments, with particular attention devoted to the most important steps for the implementation of the agreement between Pristina and Belgrade in order to achieve normalization.

 

Major-General Salvatore FARINA underlined the positive and close cooperation with KP, EULEX, and with all the other international and local organizations, in order to maintain the Safe and Secure Environment and Freedom of Movement throughout Kosovo with a specific focus on the North and in all municipalities with a Serbian Mayor. Major-General Salvatore FARINA highlighted the outstanding performance of the Italian Commanders, Staff elements and troops on the ground especially during the electoral period.

 

COM KFOR underlined the importance of the support of the Italian Army personnel throughout KFOR and thanked Lieutenant-General Roberto BERNARDINI for the contribution and the professionalism of Italian Army troops.

 

Italy is one of the major troop contributors to KFOR with around 590 soldiers serving in Kosovo, the lead nation of KFOR HQ and of the Joint Regional Detachment Centre (JRD-C), based in Pristina, and of Multinational Battle Group West in Belo Polje. During the visit, Lieutenant-General BERNARDINI met the Italian Ambassador in Kosovo HE Andrea FERRARESE that expressed his appreciation for the significant contribution made to security and stability by the Italian contingent.

 

On completion of his visit to KFOR, the Commander of Italian Land Forces met the Italian troops, to thank them and he emphasized the importance of the contribution of Italian Army to KFOR in the delicate and tense context of the Balkans.