The head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Jan Braathu, said today in Pristina that no country in the world is completely immune to radicalism and extremism. However, according to him, everyone must work on prevention. “We are all affected,” Braathu said, adding that the OSCE, together with Kosovo institutions, is working in this direction. “The OSCE has a framework for the fight against terrorism and a department dedicated to this,” he said. According to him, the youth groups, different organizations, media, all play a key role in preventing this phenomenon.

Kosovo’s Minister for Interior Affairs, Skender Hyseni, said in Pristina today that his ministry has drafted a country-wide strategy to prevent radicalism and terrorism. At the International Conference Against Violent Extremism, Hyseni said “the Interior Ministry is focused on preventing the radicalisation of society and safeguarding traditional Islam in Kosovo. Islam is a religion that calls for peace”. Hyseni also said, “we have close cooperation with the international community and we thank them for their unreserved support on certain projects”.

Kosovo’s Internal Affairs Minister, Skender Hyseni, during the 93rd Rose Roth seminar said that only close international cooperation can be successful in the fight against extremism and radicalism. “It has been a year since we adopted a strategy to prevent radicalism and violent extremism. No one can fight extremism alone, but only through close international cooperation. Kosovo, as no one else, has demonstrated more willingness to cooperate and the results are evident.

The paper carries the below article, initially published  in The Wall Street Journal.

Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci hit back at criticism of his country’s record in containing Islamic extremism, saying his nation – Europe’s youngest – is fighting hard against radical “elements.”

Over the last five years, around 300 Kosovars, out of a majority-Muslim population of 1.8 million, have joined Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, according to the government.