Jan 26 2024

Change of Command for RC-W

RC-West Change of Command took place in Pejë/Peć

Pristina – The Commander of KFOR Major General Özkan ULUTAŞ presided the ceremony of the Change of Command of the Regional Command West (RC-W), held at the base of Villaggio Italia, the multinational unit under Italian leadership responsible for the western sector of Kosovo. Colonel Gabriele VACCA, outgoing commander for Regional Command West, transferred command authority to Colonel Francesco

FERRARA, the new commander for RC-West.

The Italian contingent based on the 11 th Bersaglieri Regiment was replaced by the successor contingent based on the 1 st Bersaglieri Regiment. The significant handover of the NATO flag, a formal transfer of responsibility, took place at the presence of the respective decorated war flags framed in the deployment. Numerous civil and military authorities took part in the ceremony including the Joint Operation Commander, General Francesco Paolo FIGLIUOLO, the Deputy Commander of KFOR Brigadier General Federico BERNACCA, the Italian Ambassador to Kosovo H.E. Antonello De Riu, the representatives of International Organisations, Religious Authorities and the institution of the municipalities of western Kosovo.

In his address, KFOR Commander expressed appreciation to the contingent coming out for the outstanding results achieved in full compliance with the United Nation Resolution 1244 of the international mandate. He took the opportunity to commemorate with deepest compassion all of the KFOR Martyrs and those wounded in action, in support of KFOR operation. He wanted to emphasize the results that this contingent have left, a lasting impact within KFOR, by maintaining high standards of fairness, impartiality and creating conditions that benefit all people living in sector west area of responsibility. Then, he extended to the new commander the best wishes for a successful mandate, stressing the delicacy of the work carried out by men and women belonging to the Regional Command West, with unit of Albania, Austria, Croatia, Moldova, North

Macedonia, Poland, Switzerland and Turkey.

General FIGLIUOLO expressed words of appreciation for the outstanding results achieved during this mission, which was conducted in the complex reality of the Balkans, a region particularly well-known to the General, who had been the commander of KFOR between 2014 and 2015.

He concluded his speech by emphasizing the excellent results in frequent meeting with the mayors of the 15 municipality of Western Kosovo and with the other representatives of local political, civil, and religious institution within the framework of joint discussion tables on the themes of cooperation and future of the youth.