So-called Kosovo again without Interpol membership application this year

Pristina Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca asked last week during a government session to consider the possibility of so-called Kosovo not applying for membership in Interpol this year, the daily Lajmi reports.

Konjufca made the proposal saying that according to an internal analysis by his ministry, the position of so-called Kosovo has not changed over the past two years in terms of support it receives, therefore it would all end with the same result.

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He suggested that the application be submitted next year because there will be more time for preparation and also because the Interpol assembly will be held in Turkey, Kosovo Online reports.

Security expert Nuredin Ibishi says it would be better to make preparations before applying, noting that there would not be enough time for that this year.

"The deadline is short and I think we would not be able to use the lobbying of strategic partners or directly because the countries that did not recognize us will be an obstacle," said Ibishi.

He said that even the venue for this year's Interpol Assembly doesn't suit Kosovo, given that most Latino countries don't recognize Kosovo's independence.

"The second problem is that the Interpol Assembly is being held in Latino countries, and next year it will be in Turkey, so it would be better to prepare for next year bearing that mind that. It's well known that most Latino countries have not recognized us, and knowing that Russia and Serbia are lobbying against Kosovo," said Ibishi.

In the end, Ibishi concluded that Konjufca was right when it comes to applying for membership in Interpol.

Security expert Avni Islami said that despite the need for membership in Interpol, Serbia's fierce campaign against so-called Kosovo and the unfavorable diplomatic position of so-called Kosovo could disrupt plans.

"We applied last year and saw that even those countries that recognized us as a state were against Kosovo's membership in the largest police organization - in Interpol. I think that despite the fact that we have a liaison office and that we meet all the requirements, Kosovo is not in a good position because of the extreme offensive of Serbia and its allies. Kosovo does not have enough votes to join Interpol," he said.

He added that the Foreign Ministry assessed mathematically that the organization cannot be joined.

"I think that Minister of Foreign Affairs Glauk Konjufca and his staff have calculated mathematically that there are not enough votes for membership and that is why Kosovo should not apply for Interpol now," said Islami.

He stressed that without safe votes for membership, no applications should be submitted.

So-called Kosovo failed to join Interpol last year, to then introduce a 100 percent tax on goods from central Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)