Lawmakers Approve Legislation To Create Army

The Kosovo Parliament has passed the laws necessary to transform its security forces into a standing army, reports the B92 media network (Serbia). 

On Friday, all 105 lawmakers present voted in favor of the three draft laws to transform the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) into a professional army, reported Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 

Serb lawmakers boycotted the session. 

The laws will double the size of the force to about 5,000 troops and gradually professionalize it.

Developing the force into a combat-ready army could take around a decade, officials said.

Serbia, of which Kosovo was a part until it declared independence in 2008, has strongly opposed the move. Belgrade does not recognize Kosovo as independent.

Amid tensions leading up to the vote, troops from the NATO-led international peacekeeping force were deployed to a bridge that divides the city of Mitrovica into Albanian and Serb majority areas. 

The U.S. has cautiously supported the measure, while NATO has criticized the decision.