Kosovo ready to assume responsibilities in INTERPOL

Jethlir Zyberaj, adviser to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli, tells Radio Free Europe that Kosovo is ready to take on obligations stemming from eventual membership in INTERPOL and is at the same time ready to be part of this police organisation.

“Kosovo should be part of INTERPOL to contribute to the strengthening of security, strengthening the fight against organised crime, strengthening the fight against international terrorism and other negative phenomena”, Zyberaj says.

Fatmir Xhelili, a member of the Parliamentary Commission for Internal Affairs, speaking of Radio Free Europe, expresses confidence that Kosovo is already prepared to be an equal part of INTERPOL. According to him, it has already witnessed with the development of its police, with police responsibilities taking place in a continuous manner, in terms of domestic security of the country, but also in terms of co-operation with the police of the region and international ones.

The other benefits, according to him, are the possibility of training Kosovo police staff, especially for some forms of organised crime in Kosovo, in the region and the world, while the information exchange system is much easier. The exchange of information quickly, according to him, could give the Kosovo Police advantage in the face of potential terrorists and criminals wanted with a warrant for arrest.

“They can enter from one part of Kosovo, without the possibility of us knowing that we are dealing with high-level people of risk, such as terrorism or other categories that are in the warrant of arrest. So there are these advantages, and it is really expected that in the future we will be in the various working groups of INTERPOL, with direct representation there, but also in the establishment of capacities for fighting new types of organised crime and new forms of presentation of organised crime, as well as terrorism, which is an overall global risk”, notes Ibishi.

Meanwhile, MP Xhelilili stresses that if Kosovo becomes a member of INTERPOL, then the country will be part of creating security in the region, in terms of police.

But, normally, the benefits that will be for the demands of our police and our state to prosecute criminals, from those of war to those of other accounts”, Jeeli says.

Yes, the possibility of issuing Kosovo's arrest for war crimes suspects, if it becomes part of INTERPOL, has prompted the reactions of Belgrade authorities, who have alarmed their opinion that Kosovo could issue about 5 thousand such arrests.

Officials of the high institutions of Kosovo have rejected such a figure, saying that Kosovo's intention to join INTERPOL has no revengeary “for anyone. Awareers of security aspects have stressed that the figures that Serbian authorities have mentioned are completely unrealistic, while the statements of these authorities, according to them, are in the function of fear of opinion, not only internal but foreign.

In 2010, Kosovo applied for the first time for membership in INTERPOL. The request was repeated in 2015. Two years later, in 017, Kosovo had given up the application for admission to INTERPOL, due to insufficient support for membership.