Chief of general staff Scherrer “very satisfied”

The chief of general staff of the Swiss Army, Hans-Ulrich Scherrer says he’s “very satisfied” with Swisscoy, the Swiss contingent now serving in Kosovo.

The chief of general staff of the Swiss Army, Hans-Ulrich Scherrer says he’s “very satisfied” with Swisscoy, the Swiss contingent now serving in Kosovo.

“The Swiss contingent is working well and morale is good,” he said after a two-day visit to the province.

Scherrer, who was accompanied by the head of army training, Commander Jacques Dousse, visited the civil police station in Suva Reka, where Swiss military police are working.

The two also inspected projects led by Swisscoy. Swiss soldiers are reconstructing two schools in the province and are providing drinking water for the 2,200 men in the Suva Reka camp.

Scherrer said that relations between soldiers and the local population were also good. The international peace force KFOR was allowing some civilians to work in the camp, for example in the kitchen. This was one way for them to earn a little money again.

Since his last visit at the beginning of October, Scherrer said he had noticed that security conditions had improved. But crime and hatred among the different population groups was still a big problem.

The Swiss contingent is confined to the Suva Reka camp interior when they are not working but this has been equipped with fitness rooms and restaurants.

Scherrer said one of his big concerns was traffic, particularly because of the poor state of the roads. Traffic was dense and the locals didn’t pay much attention to others.