Today, in the presence of the Chief of the General Staff of Defense, General Claudio Graziano, the ceremony for the replacement of the NATO Multinational Force in Kosovo was held. Division General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo handed over the mission command to Division General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta after eleven months, taking over from today the position of twentieth commander of KFOR.
The ceremony was presided over by the commander of the JFC of Naples, admiral Mark E. Ferguson III, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga and of numerous military, civil and religious authorities.
During his speech, General Graziano addressed to General Figliuolo words of appreciation for the work of the men and women involved in the KFOR XIX mission and in particular for what was done by the soldiers of the national contingent. He also underlined the importance of KFOR as a factor of stability in Kosovo and in the Balkan area. The Defense Chief of Staff also addressed words of esteem and a wish for good work to General Miglietta.
In his farewell address, General Figliuolo emphasized that "security conditions in Kosovo have improved over the past year thanks to the presence and work of the KFOR military and to dialogue and cooperation with all other internal and external actors" .
The KFOR mission has been active in Kosovo since June of the 1999 and operates, in compliance with the mandate sanctioned by the 1244 resolution of the United Nations Security Council, to ensure freedom of movement and a stable and secure environment for the entire population of Kosovo regardless of differences ethnic and religious. In this way it contributes to the consolidation of peace and stability in the region, to the process of civil growth, to the development of local institutions. It also supports and cooperates with international institutions present in Kosovo. KFOR is composed of about 5000 military of 31 nations, Italy supplies the commander of the mission since September 2013 and participates with its military from the 1999, the Italian contigente is currently about 550 men.
General Miglietta, who today takes office, comes from the Army General Staff where he held the position of head of the General and Financial Planning Department, General Figliuolo at the end of the mandate returns to the Army General Staff with the assignment of head of the IV Logistics Department.
