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| Swisscoy troops in Kosovo |
Swiss troops within KFOR - Swisscoy - will stay in Kosovo for another three years until the end of December 2020.
Security Council of the National Council (SIK) has voted in favor of this decision, but with a close majority. SIK passed this decision with 13 votes provotes and 11 against.
Also, as reported by the Handelszeitung, SiK voted against a Federal Council bill that proposed the completion of Swisscoy mission after 2020.Most of the Commission considers that the completion of the operation would be premature as the situation in Kosovo is very unstable, Kosovo media reports.
Meanwhile, the rest - the minority - believes that the position of Swiss soldiers in Kosovo and their cost is no longer justified since the security situation has improved significantly since 20 years after the conflict. Other commissioners proposed support for Kosovo by civilian means.
Despite the decision to extend the Swisscoy mission, the Swiss Federal Council has decided that the number of soldiers will drop from 235 as it is now, from 190 to October 2019, while by the end of 2020 only 165 soldiers will remain.
So far, the Swiss Parliament has consistently agreed to continue with the peacekeeping operation in Kosovo. This decision of SiK is also expected to be voted by the Parliament./Oculus News