Pristina, October 24, 2022
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti address to the Parliament on the occasion of a new Kosovo Security Strategy
Honorable Speaker of the Parliament Mr. Glauk Konjufca,
Honorable Members of Parliament,
Honorable members of the Government Cabinet,
Dear citizens of the Republic,
I am honored to present before you today the Security Strategy of Kosovo, the second in a row since the declaration of independence of our Republic.
This is the umbrella strategy of the security sector which recognizes the risks, threats, and challenges for the security of the Republic of Kosovo, and at the same time presents the opportunity and vision for our future. This strategy will result in plans and other documents related to national security, public safety, defense, and diplomacy, which are necessary to orient, operationalize and develop our security architecture.
This strategy has been drawn up in close cooperation and consultation with all state institutions. It has been subjected to the process of internal and external consultation, including with the representatives of the Quint countries, but also of other friendly countries, as well as with the academy.
I would like to thank especially all the staff of our institutions who have given their contribution to the drafting of this strategy.
This document presents the strategic objectives related to vital state interests, such as the protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity, preservation of constitutional order and public safety, human security, and social development, as well as integration into Euro-Atlantic structures and other international mechanisms.
Kosovo’s strategic goal is membership in NATO and the European Union, as prerequisites for the security and sustainable development of Kosovo, but also of our region.
Honorable Members of Parliament,
During our governance, we have given special attention to security institutions, with clear policies and concrete actions in supporting them. We have increased the budget for the Kosovo Security Force by 52%, from 63 million which was the budget for the last year to around 102 million for 2022. Our government has allocated the highest budget in the history of the Kosovo Security Force, approximating it as a figure, and naturally targeting the criteria of NATO countries, of 2% of the gross domestic product.
This budget, with its size, is setting a new standard for the attention that the Government of Kosovo actually pays and must pay in the future to its armed forces and security issues. With the allocated budget, we have shown that we are serious when we consider the security of our country, the preservation of our sovereignty, and the raising of full military capacities, which is being implemented through the process of transforming the KSF into a modern army.
Additionally, there are other funds donated by Albanian all over the world to the Security Fund, which is being added every day to the already increased army budget. Therefore, I would like to use the opportunity from the floor of the Parliament of Kosovo, to thank each and everyone who has contributed to the Security Fund so far. I also encourage everyone who has the financial means and patriotic will to contribute further to this Security Fund.
In addition to the increase in the budget for the Kosovo Security Force and the creation of the Security Fund, we have accelerated military purchases and other purchases related to the strengthening of our defense and security capacities. We have created new supply lines for weapons systems, directly from country to country, shortening the supply time and significantly reducing the financial cost.
We have established a high-level members working group, with the aim of intensifying the work for membership in NATO, for which we have found additional understanding from friendly countries. On this note, we aim for membership in the Partnership for Peace as earlier possible, besides membership to other international security mechanisms.
At the same time, we are working on Kosovo’s application for candidate status and implementing the necessary reforms to facilitate the process of integration into the European Union.
We have created new mechanisms for more coordination of work between security institutions by uniting capacities and increasing the efficiency of action.
Therefore, the adoption of the Kosovo Security Strategy gives direction to our institutions in their efforts to unify policies and positions which are related to state security interests and to build a safe and peaceful future.
Just as Kosovo knew how to liberate itself and become an independent state, it will also know how to stand vertically as an independent and democratic Republic.
Thank you.
Last modified: October 25, 2022