NATO: Serbia decides about membership

Membership in the Partnership for Peace program is not synonymous with NATO membership, says the head of the NATO office for Belgrade. According to Czech General Miroslav Balint, membership of the former serves for exchange of experience with other countries and army reform, while membership of the Alliance itself is for every state to decide on individually. NATO: Serbia decides about membership The general says that his office does not have any connections with the newly-formed Kosovo Security Forces, and that he “isn’t involved in anything concerning Kosovo.” Following the proposal that Serbian relations with the Partnership for Peace and NATO should be brought down to the lowest level, Balint says that cooperation with NATO benefits Serbia, while membership of the Partnership for Peace program is helping speed up and improve reforms to the national defense system, but that it is ultimately the decision of the government in Belgrade. He says that arresting, detaining and interrogating people who are indicted for war crimes does not fall under the Belgrade NATO office’s jurisdiction, as that is exclusively the Serbian government’s responsibility. Balint believes that Serbia has made important progress in reforming and modernizing its army, and it is his opinion that Serbia should continue along the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.

NATO: Serbia decides about membership

The general says that his office does not have any connections with the newly-formed Kosovo Security Forces, and that he “isn’t involved in anything concerning Kosovo.”

Following the proposal that Serbian relations with the Partnership for Peace and NATO should be brought down to the lowest level, Balint says that cooperation with NATO benefits Serbia, while membership of the Partnership for Peace program is helping speed up and improve reforms to the national defense system, but that it is ultimately the decision of the government in Belgrade.

He says that arresting, detaining and interrogating people who are indicted for war crimes does not fall under the Belgrade NATO office’s jurisdiction, as that is exclusively the Serbian government’s responsibility.

Balint believes that Serbia has made important progress in reforming and modernizing its army, and it is his opinion that Serbia should continue along the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.