Maldivet doubts: Kosovo bought our recognition for $2m

The motion was presented Monday during the parliamentary session by Maldiv deputy Mohammed Nasheed Abdulla.

Former Maldiv Foreign Minister Ahmed Sahed is supposed to have accepted $2 million to recognise Kosovo as a sovereign state after declaring independence from Serbia in 2008. While the former minister was investigated after these claims, police have concluded there is no evidence of corruption and that the diplomatic process was conducted in accordance with international standards, reports avas.

The motion presented Monday states that the legality of Kosovo's independence has been questioned since Kosovo declared its unilateral independence from Serbia February 2008. While Maldive's closest neighbours, Sri Lanka and India, have not recognised Kosovo's independence, as China has not, it is said in the motion.

The motion further states that since the United Nations, the European Union and the NATO administration are located in the Kosovo region, and that since discussions on this issue have been blocked in the United Nations, claims linking the unexpected recognition of Kosovo by Maldives to accepting myths by the then foreign minister are serious issues.

The motion further says the claims have been strengthened by various statements made by New Kosovo Alliance leader and current Kosovo Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli, made on October 3rd, 2019.

“...until he has agreed to spend his money from his own pockets to ensure recognition of Kosovo's independence from the international community, and unless it is known whether the Maldives have taken into account international legal standards in defending Serbia's sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order, or any other standard in making this decision, and unless the Maldive government has met with senior Serbian government officials and held meetings before the decision, it is the duty of the Parliament to determine and inform whether the then foreign minister and other senior government officials are involved in corruption, for the sake of the country's<>, the motion said.

The motion further says that since then Foreign Minister Ahmed Shahed, claims to have accepted bribes to recognise Kosovo's independence, claims have prompted the country's then president, Mohammed Nasheed, to invite a police investigation on March 5th 2009. However, the fact that a thorough investigation had not been carried out and no action was taken after the investigation should be put to the attention of parliament and the citizens of the country.

The motion invited for a review of Kosovo's recognition of independence, and called for ensuring that the decision was made by the government in line with international standards.