After 6 years the Norwegian military camp Banski Rid was handed back to Macedonian authorities. Camp commander Egil Holstad thanked Macedonia for their generous hospitality and stated that serving in Macedonia had been one of the best experiences of his life.
Banski Rid was established to support Norwegian peacekeepers in Kosovo during the refugee crisis of 1999. Located in the beautiful countryside outside of Skopje, tousands of Norwegian soldiers have during six years served their duty for peace and stability in the Western Balkans. However, this task has now been fulfilled, and the camp is handed back to Macedonia. An era of Norwegian peacekeeping has now come to an end in the Western Balkans.