German parliament extends military mission in Kosovo

BERLIN

Germany’s parliament voted on Friday to extend the deployment of German troops in Kosovo for another year.

Some 505 lawmakers, mostly from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s left-liberal coalition government, voted in favor of deploying military personnel in NATO-led international peacekeeping force KFOR.

Main opposition Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) backed the extension, while 93 lawmakers from two other opposition parties, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the socialist Left Party, voted against the motion.

The mandate will allow the German government to deploy up to 400 soldiers in Kosovo until the end of June 2024. The cost of the deployment is estimated to be around €6.1 million ($6.5 million).