The Italian Defense Chief of Staff, General Claudio Graziano, went to the Italian contingent operating in Kosovo as part of the NATO KFOR multinational force to bring his greetings and that of all the Armed Forces when approaching of the upcoming holidays.
General Graziano, received on arrival by the commander of KFOR - division general Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta - was updated on the current operational situation, the security conditions in Kosovo and the role of KFOR soldiers as a crucial partner in the process of stabilization of the Balkan area.
The visit continued with the meeting with military personnel, men and women of the armed forces and the Carabinieri, to whom the head of SMD addressed words of appreciation for the level of professionalism, dedication and commitment. profuse in this complex theater of operations.
"NATO's presence in Kosovo, at this particular moment in history, is very important from the point of view of terrorism prevention," he added.
“This country is in the heart of Europe and represents an area of great interest for Italy which has always been at the forefront for its stability and for that of the entire Balkan area. A commitment that is appreciated at an international level and that has seen, for some years, assign the leadership of the mission to our country ”.
Italy, present in the mission since its opening in 1999, is one of the major contributors of troops to KFOR with over 550 soldiers engaged in Kosovo both in Multinational Battle Group West, in Joint Regional Detachment Center, in Multinational Support Unit of the carabinieri and in the command of the force in Pristina.
Finally, General Graziano met the Italian ambassador in Kosovo, Andreas Ferrarese, who underlined "the presence of KFOR and the Italian component contributes significantly to the achievement of the objectives required by the international community and to the creation of the necessary premises for development and the complete stabilization of the area ".
