After Criticism, Threats Come Returns Ambassador Qendrim Gashi

Gashi in his clarification said he was intent on offending anyone and that he was sorry if someone was hurt.

It turns out that my goal was not to offend someone and I am very sorry to see people who might be hurt because they didn't know the details of the context of the journalist. Furthermore, I would never do a communitarian offense from any official position, for human reasons, not from possible legal consensus. Anyone who doubts I have violated the law by distributing an article that gives the chronology of a terrorist act, let him challenge me in court, in Kosovo or France. That's how dilemmas should be solved in our society, through the law, not through threats of violence”, Gashi wrote.

Full response:

Although I have usually not wanted to participate directly in internal debates in Kosovo, being ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo in France this does not belong to me, this time I have to address you publicly, dear citizens, to explain one of my actions, but also my opinion and a set of values that I have always acted on.

First, the facts. Last Friday he got his head blown off again, got his head blown off before a junior high school, a professor of history-graphies in a town near Paris. His crime: he legalized his students about freedom of speech as well as the boundaries of that freedom, and he had taken the famous example of Charlie Hebdo and the illustrations of Muhammad's cartoons. This macabre event shocked France, the community of diplomats in France, but all who advance knowledge and tolerance through education throughout the world. I myself am a professor and I insist on defending academic freedom.

On Monday the newspaper known “Le Figaro” published a chronology of the events of the terrorist act in question and used the two caricatures of Charlie Hebdo as an illustration. I divided the article, the whole article, into my cone in Titter, without commenting at content or in shape. The same have appeared on several media outlets in Kosovo, even last night, in the informative context. I don't censor the media.

A few hours later, a lynching statement came up to me, and she urged some fanatics not only to insult and insult me with vulgar language (even though they claimed someone had done a vulgarity) but also to send me threatening messages that are reported to the law bodies. I do not support or reason violence.

The irony is that last year in Paris, I was the target of the attacks coming from another <x0 ft”, even though I have to say that in that case no physical threat had ever been accepted. It's the famous work of Carl Yankees “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace”, where the author also inspects the esan. This work was executed excellently by the Kosovo Philharmonic in the renowned Saint-Louis cathedral, which is known for its strong symbol in its courtyard, becomes national prayers for civil and military personalities. Ezani in a church! Skandal writes Christian extremists. I don't censor art.

Now, what would a Kosovo citizen think of his ambassador to France? I am the ambassador of all those who believe, indiscriminately, as well as of those who do not believe at all. But I'm also the ambassador of a state which created precisely by basing Western values on freedom and democracy, in the rule of law. Of a state which aspires to integrate into Euro-Atlantic structures. So I invite you to reflect together, how our freedom was born and where we told ourselves we were going.

Understandably, my goal was not to offend someone, and I am very sorry to see people who might be hurt because they did not know the details of the context of the journalist. Furthermore, I would never do a communitarian offense from any official position, for human reasons, not from possible legal consensus. Anyone who doubts I have violated the law by distributing an article that gives the chronology of a terrorist act, let him challenge me in court, in Kosovo or France. So dilemmas must be solved in our society, by law, not by threats of violence.

I, on behalf of the values that created Kosovo free and independent, in the name of Kosovo, fully solidify with the victim and French society that has been hit hard these past years by terrorist acts with religious overtones. France has played a special and historic role in the journey of human rights and freedoms, so it too becomes a frequent target of extremists. By solidifying with France today, we challenge not only the extent of political Islam or any political-state ideology based firmly on religion, but also advance global humanism, thanks to which we are today free in Kosovo.

I do not support media censorship because I have seen for myself what it means to be Albanian in Kosovo in the 1990s when Albanian television was banned. I am against violence because I myself have experienced the war in Kosovo. But I do not support the Tentim-installing of theocracy or religious extremism at all. The answers to many matters can be found if we speak of religion as a personal right. The laws of our secular republic are above other standards. And these laws enable us to show respect for all religious communities in Kosovo, especially for the larger community, the Muslim one, the respect I share.

I will always be solidified with the victims. I will constantly defend freedom of faith and disbelief. I'll always work for tolerance. But tolerance is not advanced by ignorance and non-information. So I will work on protecting freedom of thought, information and expression. As a Muslim, as a Catholic, as Orthodox, as a Jew, as a Protestant, as a member of the fee, as Bektash, as an atheist... As a citizen of the Republic of Kosovo.

Thank you for your support.

Me, your son, Kosovo.