Serbia, Kosovo barrier towards INTERPOL

The INTERPOL Executive Committee has decided that the Kosovo Republic's application for membership in INTERPOL, put it on the agenda of the General Assembly to be held in Beijing, China, from September 26th to September 29, 2017.

Behar Selimi, deputy minister of interior affairs of the outgoing Kosovo Government, tells Radio Free Europe that real expectations that Kosovo's application to be admitted to INTERPOL will positively be based on interest, which INTERPOL member states have in the field of security, for multilateral and bilateal co-operation with Kosovo.

“From the fact that INTERPOL is primarily an organisation that joins in common values but also in common interests of security, the fight of crime and prevention, and given the kind of powerful lobbie that has been done, especially from the Interior Ministry, from the Minister (Skender) Hyseni, but also from the Foreign Minister, Mr. (Ever) Hoxhaj, and especially from the support we have from friendly states at the top of the United States, I believe this time we have an enthusiastic reason, Selim1> says.

However, Selimi says the obstacle to the Kosovo membership process in INTERPOL remains Serbia's lobby, which opposes that membership. But, according to him, there are already signals that this lobby will not result in success.

Kosovo has met many criteria, required to be an INTERPOL member. Kosovo police and the prosecution's organs, as well as those of the prosecution, I repeat, Kosovo Police have shown high level of professionalism even in regional-type action in fighting organised crime. Therefore, technically and administrative aspect, Kosovo meets conditions. As for the political aspect, the only obstacle or factor that is making this process difficult is Serbia. How powerful this time of year, we are left to look at”.

Security aspects acquaintance Nuredin Ibishi, a member of the Commission for Security in the now-disbanded composition of the Kosovo Assembly, speaking of Radio Free Europe, recognises as positive the fact that the issue of Kosovo's accession has been put on the agenda of the INTERPOL General Assembly. According to him, however, the current circumstances do not give much hope that the process could be completed positively for Kosovo.

The expectations are really small for accession, now when there are two other applications, especially Palestine, for which it is an objection to such admission. So, it comes at a bad time when it's considered. If it were just our app, it probably would. But when the line is two more applications, especially from Palestine, then the situation is a bit complicated”.

However, Ibishi adds that Kosovo's needs for membership in INTERPOL are great, especially at the present time when new security risks are present. According to him, Kosovo police and other security institutions have contributed greatly to the exchange of information and support and talk of arrest issued by INTERPOL, for which they have carried out jobs and shown very stable institutions.

INTERPOL membership, as Ibischi said, would bring Kosovo favors not only in the political sense, but also in fighting organised crime and terrorism. /Rel