Lumez shows whether Thaci will be investigated for deportation of Turkish citizens

Chief State Prosecutor Aleksandar Lumezi, who is scheduled to lead the team to launch investigations about the arrest case and then deportation of six Turkish citizens from Kosovo, has said that from tomorrow they will start collecting evidence about these arrests.

Six jihadists were involved in a special jet from Turkish Secret Service MlT, but Lumez says he will investigate the involvement of Kosovo state officials in the vicinity.
I have not yet received the recommendation that we were at the official party that day and the day off has been. According to the letter we will act. We'll make sure there are elements for any criminal offense. On the basis of collecting information, we will see which state officials are responsible for the expulsion of Turkish citizens”, Lumez has been expressed.

Commenting on the dismissal of MPBiH Minister Flamur Sefaj and AKI Minister Driton Gashi, the chief prosecutor estimates that dismissal is not enough if the same ones around the case have committed any criminal acts, as the principle of legitimacy should be discussed.

For us it's not enough dismissal, it's indiscriminate for us if they've committed any criminal acts. The principle of legitimacy must be discussed. If they've committed a crime, then we will.

Now we're going to start collecting information and data and then we're going to see if any of these state criminal officials did it”, he added.

Kosovo President Hashim Taci had initially declared that the operation was carried out without his knowledge, but later reasoned the deportation, saying, according to the AKI, gylenists posed risks to the country's security. However, Lumez acknowledges that still from this institution they have no information that these persons were considered dangerous and said that only after they consider all documentation then will we act on whom to launch investigations.

We should first have precise information on who the AKI assessment was. Right now, we have no information from the AKI that those people risk state security. And if those people risk state security then they certainly had to announce the chief state prosecutor and start prosecution in the Republic of Kosovo”, Lumez says.

We'll certainly provide all the documentation, and we'll see which of these people we're going to start investigating”, Lumez explained to Express.

Authorities in Kosovo on Thursday have arrested and later deported six Turkish citizens, employees at the “Mehmet Akif” school in Kosovo.

The schools “Mehmet Akif” in Kosovo belong to the Education Institute “Gulistan”. It is believed that they are inspired by Fetullah Gulen's Hizmet Movement, Turkey's religious clergyman, whom Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan blames for orchestrating the coup effort in Turkey in 2016.

Following their expulsion, Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj had been relieved of duty that meant the dismissal of Interior Minister Flamur Sefaj, and Kosovo Agency for Intelligence Director Driton Gashi.