BBC: Without Kosovo in Interpol, Balkan security will not be stable

The issue of Kosovo's accession to Interpol again is currentised on the eve of the General Assembly in November, while its eventual membership is either “unprecedented risk”, or “contribut in the fight against international criminality, depending on whether Belgrade or Pristina are asked, reports the BBC in Serbian.

Kosovo Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli told the BBC that the main reason for Kosovo's entry into Interpol are the fight against terrorism and organised crime, international co-operation, full responsibility for co-operation and security configuration in the Balkans, which, according to him, will not be complete, while the region will not be stable.

So far three times has applied for membership, in 2010, 2015 and 2017. The requirements have never reached the screening phase, while years of demand was withdrawn as a result of lack of sufficient support for membership.

Belgrade rejects Kosovo's eventual membership in this international organisation: Kosovo's membership in Interpol would be contrary to international law, with Resolution 1244 and would cause negative consequences for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Interpol, recalling Belgrade, last year has approved Resolution under which countries seeking membership should be UN members or have observer status.

It also stresses that Pristina institutions are unable to maintain security in Kosovo and that Kosovo's entry into Interpol would be used for revanscism towards members of Serbia's police and military, who have participated in the 1999 war.

So far in Interpol's arrest warrants due to war crimes has been Military Security Agency chief Momir Stojanovic, while speaking Interpol's arrest on the basis of the orders of Serbian courts in all are Albanians from Kosovo, suspected of war crimes.

Among them is President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, but the warrants against them are currently invisible “”.

This year it appears that Kosovo has enough support, at least for the introduction of this issue in the order of the day for the vote.

Marko Kmeziq, legalist and researcher at the Centre for Southeast Europe Studies in Graca, considers that the issue is of importance “for international police co-operation”.

In view of the fact that high crime rates have been observed in both states and especially its cross-border character, while criminals do not know the borders, police are limited to state jurisdiction and any form of interconnection, including this through Interpol, is useful for all citizens of the region”, Kmezziq told the BBC.

Kmezic also points out that if Serbia takes an objective stance on this issue, this could have a negative impact on the continuation of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and the removal of European integrations, the BBC's writing in the Serbian language said.