Accusations of pressure and intimidation: Pompeo strongly criticizes biggest Albanian lobbyist

One of the most extreme lobbyists for the Kosovo Albanians - the creator of lies about the alleged rape of 20,000 Albanians during the war in Kosovo, US Congressman Eliot Engel - has come under fierce criticism from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Vecernje Novosti reports.

One of US President Donald Trump's closest associates has accused Engel of unprecedented "pressure, intimidation and bullying," toward US State Department diplomats.

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Although the clash initially came due to the calls to impeach President Donald Trump over a Ukraine-related scandal, the conflict between Pompeo and Engel, a Democrat, effectively reveals the "dirty methods" that have been used by Albanian lobbyists for years, and those are assigned to some key positions in the US administration, according to this newspaper.

The war over US foreign policy on various fronts, including the resolution of the Kosovo issue, which has long been simmering between the State Department and parts of Congress, escalated on Tuesday with an open letter Pompeo sent to Engel and posted on his Twitter account.

I’m concerned with aspects of the Committee’s request that can be understood only as an attempt to intimidate, bully, & treat improperly the distinguished professionals of the Department of State, including several career FSOs. pic.twitter.com/QRtMaXlhQM— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 1, 2019

Pompeo warned Engel, who is the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, to stop "making threats and inviting State Department professionals for depositions."

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic points out that Pompeo has made it clear that he will not allow the harrassing of diplomats carried out by Engel.

Photo: Tanjug/Tanja Valic

"When Engel puts such pressure on the State Department, you can only imagine what he is doing to other countries regarding KiM (Kosovo and Metohija). And he received millions of dollars from Pristina and was openly saying that he was lobbying for an independent Kosovo because Albanians in the US vote for him. On the other hand, a US congressman has said that the Serb diaspora is the best because they don't seek anything in return for their votes. That's because we're fools. To vote for someone without expecting anything in return - who in the world does that," Dacic said, the newspaper reported.

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(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)