Foreign Ministry: We can do much for Ibrahim Matosh, has given up Kosovo citizenship

So has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced (MPJ). Fatmir Hajolli of the MPJ has told Kosovo that they are in contact with the liaison office of the Republic of Kosovo in Belgrade and are conveying concern about the course of Ibrahim Matosi's ban, which is a dentist by profession and lives in Germany.

Matoshi is accused of killing two Serbs during 1999 in Kosovo.

“Initially, we need to re-exert that the general public in Kosovo is informed that dentist Ibrahim Matoshi, working in Germany, is a valued citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany. This fact, from a clear institutional perspective, made the case's judicial coverage inappropriate, on the part of the diplomatic service of the Republic of Kosovo, despite our having an active diplomatic presence in Serbia through the Interconnecting Office of the Republic of Kosovo in Belgrade. However, given the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant institutions were and remained important points of contact and communication for the concerned family members of Ibrahim Matosi, who live in Kosovo, where he was visiting, the circumstances where he was due until 2015. Matoshi was a citizen of the Republic of Kosovo, when he also gave up his citizenship, as well as his strong ties to our homeland, made our institutional commitment necessary, as well as legitimising each of us's overall concern”, Hajoli told Kosova Prees.

He also said international practices force Serbia to inform the relevant state of the person it has banned, of its ban.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Interconnection Office of the Republic of Kosovo in Belgrade have conveyed with concern the course of Ibrahim Matosi's detention, but always knowing and respecting the fact that international practices force authorities in Serbia to inform the Federal Republic of Germany institutions of the ban and the manner of treating their citizens in Serbia. We hope Serbia's institutions are not scandalous enough to ignore the fact that German authorities informed us, and we believe that the engaged dentist's lawyer Ibrahim Matoshi may know whether international practices have been violated, in case of the ban, arrest and maintenance of Matosh, on the part of Serbian authorities”, he said.

Hajoll also told Kosova Pres that MPJ “formally returns to take it as a welfare, treat, confirm, or recycle any claim, for any case, for any period, of Kosovo citizens, whether it be citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, whether diaspora equipped with substates of other countries”.

This is a clear legal and institutional position, because Serbia's jurisdiction over the Republic of Kosovo has been built on the classic Kosovo occupation on the part of Serbia, and is always treated as such for the 1990s.

Therefore, we appreciate that all developments related to bans, arrests, mistreatment, including the case of Ibrahim Matosh, on the part of Serbia, are designed to incite and install fears among citizens of the Republic of Kosovo who travel through Serbia, and in particular to the diaspora. Furthermore, Serbia through this scandalous behaviour is trying to demonstrate violence and pressure against basic human rights, is trying to exert pressure on the Republic of Kosovo, even though it has agreed that it will comply with the agreements and with Brussels' mediation. If this Belgrade behaviour is not corrected as soon as possible by Brussels, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take specific and targeted action”, Hajoli has said.

The official Belgrade has consistently persecuted Kosovo citizens with international arrest warrants, knowing that Kosovo is not an Interpol member and therefore cannot respond to such cases in real time, except through procedures requiring the mediation of the Interpol liaison office in UNMIK.