Prishtina, 3 November, 2023
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated today in the certification ceremony of the Dutch trainees, in the premises of the Search and Rescue Center of the Kosovo Security Force in Pomozotin, Fushë Kosovë, where the Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, was also present, the Commander of the KSF, Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari, the Deputy Minister of Defense, Shemsi Syla, the Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands in Kosovo, Ronald Goldberg, the Commander of the National Guard of the KSF, Brigadier General Naim Haziri and the Director of the Search and Rescue Center, John Doone .
At the opening of this important event, Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that the training that has just been completed is part of a global network of activities that enable us to respond quickly to the unexpected and, in doing so, save lives.
As he congratulated the trainees for this achievement, such as this certification, Prime Minister Kurti expressed his happiness that he was part of this event in celebrating this important achievement for all the participants and for all the staff who facilitated this successful exercise.
In his speech, Prime Minister Kurti said that Kosovo’s commitment to partnership and its determination to contribute to common solutions is essential. He added that he is proud of the world-class skills we develop at Pomozotin, skills that are vital to our country and our partners as we prepare for our roles on the global stage.
Describing this as a very special moment, Prime Minister Kurti said that this center, last year, provided training for nearly 3,000 people, among whom, in addition to our citizens, hundreds of other foreign partners from Albania, Britain and Great Britain, Italy, Hungary, Jordan, Malta, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Turkey and other honorable colleagues from the Netherlands.
“Our ambition is to raise this center to a recognized Center of Excellence, serving our European Union and NATO partners, as well as the wider global community,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
At this ceremony, Kurti praised the heroic work of the members of the Search and Rescue team of the Republic of Kosovo, because they were among the first to respond to the devastating earthquake in Turkey earlier this year, together with their colleagues from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom who are in this hall today.
At the end of his speech, Prime Minister Kurti expressed his pride that he is welcoming the partners at the KSF Search and Rescue Center in Pomozotin and said that he expects to continue the productive cooperation in the future.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Honorable Ejup Maqedonci, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kosova,
Honorable General Lieutenant, Bashkim Jashari, Commander of the Kosova Security Force,
Dear Mr.Shemsi Syla, deputy Minister of Defense,
Dear Mr. Ronald Goldberg, deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands,
Dear Brigadier General Naim Haziri, Commander of the National Guard of Kosovo Security Forces,
Dear Mr. John Doone, Director of Search Rescue Training Centre of Kosova Security Forces
Distinguished guest,
Ladies and gentleman,
It is a great pleasure to be here with you today at the conclusion of this important activity. Congratulations to all the participants and to all the staff who facilitated this successful exercise.
Nobody knows better than those present in this room that we live in a world of great uncertainty. The collaborative training event that has just concluded is part of a global network of activities that enable us to respond swiftly to the unexpected and, in doing so, save lives.
Kosova’s commitment to partnership and our resolve to contribute to shared solutions is substantial. I take immense pride in the world-class capabilities we are nurturing here at Pomozatin. These capabilities are vital for both our nation and our many partners as we prepare for the roles we must play in the global arena.
Over the past year, this center has provided training to nearly 3,000 individuals, including our own citizens and hundreds of foreign partners from Albania, Great Britain, Italy, Hungary, Jordan, Malta, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Turkey, and, of course, our esteemed colleagues from the Netherlands. Mister Deputy Ambassador, this is a special moment we share together.
As we continue to expand our capabilities, our ambition is to elevate this center into a recognized Center of Excellence, serving our European Union and NATO partners as well as the broader global community. The progress we have made in this endeavor is evident, and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future
I must highlight the heroic work of our Search and Rescue team members. They were among the first international responders to the devastating earthquake in Türkiye earlier this year, as were many of our colleagues from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom present in this room.
Our overarching strategic goal is to advance toward and realize our Euro-Atlantic vision. Becoming a member of the European Union and the NATO alliance is central to our aspirations.
The center where we are now is a great and tangible example of who we are, what we stand for as well as our enduring commitment.
We are proud to have welcomed you and look forward to continuing this productive collaboration in the future.
Thank you!
Last modified: November 6, 2023