Minister of Justice: Skopje will continue to implement arrest warrants against former KLA members

2024-11-27 19:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Minister of Justice: Skopje will continue to implement arrest warrants against

Macedonian Minister of Justice, Igor Filkov

The Macedonian Minister of Justice, Igor Filkov, said on Wednesday that the arrest warrants issued by INTERPOL, at the request of Serbia, for former soldiers of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), continue to be applicable in North Macedonia.

He emphasized that the statements of the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, on this issue during a visit to Kosovo, were "misunderstood".

Mickoski had said during his visit to Pristina weeks ago that "anyone who does not break the laws" of his country is "welcome" in North Macedonia, when asked about Serbia's demands to arrest former members of the KLA, whom Belgrade accuses of alleged war crimes.

Filkov said on Wednesday that what "the prime minister said there is not about us gathering any criminals, but about the implementation of justice and laws".

Asked if INTERPOL's arrest warrants, at Serbia's request, for former KLA members will be valid if they go to North Macedonia, Filkov answered briefly: "So far, they are."

In July, Macedonian authorities arrested former member of the KLA, Blerim Ramadani, at the Jazhinca border crossing - which connects Kosovo and North Macedonia - based on an arrest warrant issued by the Court in Belgrade, through INTERPOL Serbia, on charges of war crimes.

During an interview with Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) on November 18, Mickoski hinted that Skopje will not continue to implement arrest warrants initiated by Serbia through INTERPOL.

"Anyone who has not violated the laws and the Constitution of North Macedonia and who has no conflict with the laws and the Constitution can come and stay in North Macedonia. I think that's how it should be," he said.

In August, Ramadan escaped from house arrest from his relatives' home in North Macedonia, where he had been ordered by a court in Skopje to stay until August 16, prompting reactions from Serbia.

After the escape of Ramadan, the Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivica Dacic, said that they are seeking an explanation from the Macedonian authorities for this case.

He described Ramadan's escape from house arrest as "scandalous".

Serbian authorities accuse Ramadan of having committed war crimes in the Nerodime region in the summer of 1999, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo (MPJD).

The court in Skopje rejected Serbia's request to extradite Ramadan to Belgrade in August./REL