The authorities of the self-proclaimed republic decided in October to change the mandate of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) and transform it into a national army, despite criticism from NATO.
“A total of 105 lawmakers present today have voted for [adopting the set of laws],” Kadri Veseli, the speaker of the Kosovar legislature, said.
The session of the parliament was boycotted by the MPs that represent Serbian minority.
The forces will reportedly comprise a total of 8,000 people — 5,000 active duty soldiers and 3,000 reservists. The initiative to create a regular army was criticized by Belgrade, while NATO’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, warned that such actions were “ill-timed.”