Czech KFOR troops deployed despite uncertainty over their future
Czech troops deployed within the KFOR mission in Kosovo on Thursday started rotating as planned despite the uncertain future of the operation of Czech foreign missions this year, said Jana Ruzickova, from the Czech military's general staff.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Friday, January 09, 2009
While the first 37 troops are returning home on Thursday, 69 of the new soldiers will arrive in Kosovo at the same time.
The new contingent will have 430 soldiers of a mechanised company supported by a logistics company.
Its new commander Robert Bieleny will leave Prague along with other troops on January 13. The rotation will end on January 29.
The Czechs operate within the Centre multi-national command along with contingents from Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Slovakia and Sweden.
A reserve company of about 100 soldiers based in the Czech Republic is prepared to leave for Kosovo within five days.
In December, the opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) refused to support the government-proposed plan of foreign missions for this year. As the government does not command a majority in the Chamber of Deputies, the plan was not passed.
The government has prolonged the stay of Czech troops abroad by two months, which is the maximum period for which it can do so without the parliament's consent.
Afterwards they would have to return home if the parliament did not decide otherwise.
