Press release
19 March 2008
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Defence
Sweden to contribute personnel to EU mission in Kosovo
Today, the Government gave the Folke Bernadotte Academy, the Swedish Rescue Services Agency, the Swedish Prison and Probation Authority and the National Courts Administration the task of making Swedish personnel available for the EU civilian crisis management mission in Kosovo - EULEX Kosovo.
Swedish judges, prison and probation authority officials, political advisers and legal experts, as well as support staff, will now be sent to Kosovo. Swedish police officers already in place as part of the UN mission in Kosovo will be transferred to the EU mission. Up to 100 Swedes may participate in the mission. Funding for the mission will come from the development assistance budget.
"This is largest ever Swedish contribution to an international civilian crisis management mission, and this reflects Sweden's commitment to stable developments in Kosovo and in the region, as well as the Government's priority to strengthen Sweden's role in international crisis management. The extent of contributions from Swedish government agencies also demonstrates the importance of joint efforts to strengthen the rule of law in Kosovo," say Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson, Minister for Defence Sten Tolgfors and Minister for Justice Beatrice Ask in a joint statement.
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EULEX Kosovo is a civilian crisis management mission within the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). The mission will help to strengthen Kosovo's police force, public prosecutors, courts, prison and probation services and customs authorities. As the first civilian EU mission, EULEX will also conduct certain tasks in the operations of the legal system.
The EU will send up to 3 500 staff, of which 2 200 are from participating countries. This makes EULEX the largest civilian mission that the EU has ever carried out.
Contact
Peter Larsson+46 8 405 10 00
Rickard Wessman
+46 8 405 10 00
Mikael Östlund
Press Secretary to Sten Tolgfors
+46 8 405 25 15
+46 70 297 43 28
email to Mikael Östlund
