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Federal Councillor Martin Pfister to make working visit to Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina


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Press releases, 07.07.2025

The head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), Federal Councillor Martin Pfister, will visit Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina on 7 and 8 July. He will be accompanied by members of the parliamentary Security Policy Committee and by Philippe Müller, a member of the cantonal government and head of the Department of Cantonal Security in the Canton of Bern. The aim of the working visit is to gain an overview of the security situation and Switzerland's role in peacekeeping operations. In addition to visiting Swiss Armed Forces personnel, Federal Councillor Pfister will hold bilateral talks with defence ministers Ejup Maqedonci (Kosovo) and Zukan Helez (Bosnia and Herzegovina) as well as with Christian Schmidt, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr Pfister will be accompanied by Markus Mäder, State Secretary for Security Policy.

Stability in this region is of great interest to Switzerland in terms of its security, economic and migration policy. Switzerland has been involved in Kosovo since 1999, currently providing a contingent of up to 215 military personnel (Swisscoy) to the Kosovo Force (KFOR), which is led by NATO. Since 2004, Switzerland has also been involved in the EU-led mission EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing up to 20 military personnel.

Security situation on the ground and the role of peacekeeping operations

During the working visit, Mr Pfister will get a sense of the security situation on the ground and the role of peacekeeping missions in maintaining peace and stability in the region. Switzerland's involvement in the Western Balkans is an important part of its international cooperation in Europe.

Working visit to Kosovo

A visit is planned to Mitrovica in the north of Kosovo, and to the Swiss military personnel of the KFOR Liaison and Monitoring Team, which is monitoring the situation in the region. At Camp Novo Selo, the head of the DDPS will meet Swiss Armed Forces personnel who are deployed in the transport and support unit, part of KFOR Joint Logistics Support Group. He will also meet the Swiss military personnel serving at KFOR Headquarters in Camp Film City in Pristina.

The talks with Kosovo's defence minister, Ejup Maqedonci, will focus on current developments in Kosovo, the security policy situation in the Western Balkans and the impact of the war in Ukraine on security and stability.

Working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Pfister will also discuss current developments in the country and the region, including the security situation, with his counterpart, defence minister Zukan Helez. Mr Pfister will also hold talks with the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, and with the commander of EUFOR ALTHEA, Major General Florin-Marian Barbu, on the future of the mission.

The contingent in EUFOR ALTHEA is Switzerland's second largest in military peacekeeping after KFOR; in Sarajevo, Federal Councillor Pfister will gain an impression of the deployment of Swiss Armed Forces personnel there.


Address for enquiries

DDPS Communication
+41 58 464 50 58
kommunikation@gs-vbs.admin.ch

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Dernière mise à jour 28.07.2021