Moldova will take part in the international peacekeeping operation in Kosovo as part of the Multinational Peacekeeping Force. A relevant draft decision was passed by Parliament on November 1, at the suggestion of President Nicolae Timofti. The Communist MPs said they are against such an initiative as the Moldovan servicemen in Kosovo will be put in danger. They left the assembly hall before the issue was put to the vote, IPN reports.

The operation will involve a general staff officer, a bomb disposal unit for reconstruction and demining missions and an infantry platoon consisting of 33 servicemen that will take part in security and guard missions at military facilities and patrolling missions in the area in charge.

Moldova’s contribution to international security was an objective declared in the first years of independence and the participation in these operations is one of the country’s commitments at foreign level, said Minister of Defense Vitalie Marinuta.

Communist MP Artur Reshetnikov said no neutral state that has an internal conflict situation deployed servicemen in Kosovo. His colleague Grigore Petrenko said the minister of defense should resign. “Moldova’s participation in this operation is a crime,” he stated.

The operation in Kosovo involves about 5,000 servicemen from 31 countries.