Swiss in action
SVP demands immediate withdrawal of troops from Kosovo
The recently flared up conflict in the north of Kosovo calls the SVP onto the scene. The party has long been critical of the use of Swiss army personnel in the Balkan country. Now the troops must be brought back as quickly as possible.
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For more than 20 years, the Swiss Army has been sending members of the army to keep the peace in Kosovo.
The conflict between Kosovo and Serbia seems to have eased somewhat recently. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (52) announced that the roadblocks in northern Kosovo would be cleared.
It’s a positive sign. The SVP is still alarmed. The reason is the Swiss army members of Swisscoy, who are stationed in Kosovo as part of the NATO force KFOR. The fact that Swiss soldiers could be drawn into the conflict in the event of an escalation is a horror scenario for the party.
Amherd had to prepare for the withdrawal of troops
“Under no circumstances should members of the Swiss army be involved in such a situation,” writes SVP security politician Mauro Tuena (50) in a party statement. “Switzerland is a neutral country and not a member of NATO.” In the event of a conflict, she should not side with either Serbia or Kosovo.
For this reason, it is imperative that Switzerland immediately withdraw its 195 members of the army from the conflict areas. “The VBS boss responsible, Viola Amherd, must prepare the withdrawal of the Swiss troops immediately. Especially since this more than questionable military operation costs around 45 million francs a year, »says Tuena.
For years, the SVP has repeatedly and in vain been fighting against the extension of the Swisscoy mission in Kosovo. They also argued with Switzerland’s neutrality, which would be endangered by the deployment.
Army declines
The army itself recently informed Blick that a return of the Swiss troops is currently not an issue. If the situation escalated and Serbia invaded Kosovo, it would not be the task of the Swiss army to defend Kosovo, explained Daniel Seckler, media spokesman at Swissint, the Swiss Army’s center of excellence for military peacebuilding.
“Armed response elements will be provided by other troop-contributing nations.” Swisscoy is solely responsible for “ensuring a safe and stable environment and ensuring freedom of movement” in Kosovo. (lha)
Drone footage shows: Serbs set up roadblocks(00:58)