President Drnovšek visits soldiers in Kosovo
Kosovo, Peć, 05/15/2007 | press release
The President of the Republic of Slovenia and the Commander-in Chief of the defence forces, Dr Janez Drnovšek, today visited the Slovenian unit of KFOR in Peć, Kosovo.
President Drnovšek, met the Commander of KFOR, Lieutenant General Roland Kather to mark Slovenian Armed Forces Day. At the military barracks the President was introduced to the commander Dobran Božič and the commander of the Sokol task force, Miha Škerbinc Barbo, who – together with other sergeants – spoke about the Slovenian unit’s operations in Kosovo. Dr Drnovšek then met Antonio Venci, Brigadier General of the MNTF-West.
President Drnovšek addressed those gathered to participate in the ceremony held in Peć to mark Slovenian Armed Forces Day, which was also attended by Alan Geder, Commander of the Headquarters. At the event marking the Slovenian Armed Forces Day, Dr Drnovšek addressed the participants:
“I am pleased to be able to greet you today in Kosovo where you participate in the currently most important mission of the Slovenian Armed Forces abroad. I followed your progress over the past years, I followed your work and development within the Slovenian Armed Forces and I am delighted to conclude that you have indeed made progress, that systematic work does deliver results, that the Slovenian Armed Forces are increasingly more professional, a good and well trained military performing the most demanding tasks. Your mission is another proof of this. This mission goes beyond the ordinary scope of military tasks. You have to deal with the population, establish trust, provide assistance and again normalise everyday life in this area where peaceful co-existence has been lacking for years, where politics often failed because it did not know how to find a solution. Now you provide help, KFOR troops act and build foundations for a peaceful local life. This is also how I see the role of armed forces, the military of the future – not merely an armed force or a military power deployed only in military conflicts. The latter being solely a permanent necessity.”
Upon his departure from the airport in Pristina, Dr Drnovšek met President Fatmir Sejdu. They discussed the process of considering the Ahtisaari’s plan.