Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Skender Hyseni, met on Monday the United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie. Hyseni and Delawie discussed the cooperation between Kosovo and the US in the field of rule of law. “In all the processes through which we have passed, we always had the support of the US and for this we will always be thankful,” Hyseni said.
Kosovar Interior Minister Skender Hyseni says there have been no recorded cases in the past year of citizens joining the Islamic State militant group in Syria and Iraq.
"It is now a year that we did not record any case of the departure of the citizens of Kosovo in foreign wars," Hyseni said on August 24, adding that authorities should still not be "comfortable."
Pristina has come under pressure for a perceived failure to crack down on Middle East-funded Islamic charities and radical religious figures blamed on young Kosovars joining extremist groups.
Kosovo’s Interior Minister, Skender Hyseni, during a visit to the municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane today, said that within the last year, Kosovo was praised for fighting terrorism and preventing extremism. “It has been eleven months now since someone from Kosovo went to Syria. The decline of this phenomenon should not make us comfortable in this direction and we have to be careful in this regard. Extremism and radicalism are treacherous diseases. Islam is peaceful and does not produce violence.
Vetëvendosje movement has confirmed that the action of attacking the official vehicle of the Minister of Interior, Skender Hyseni, was organized by its activists.
A press release issued by this party writes that the action was undertaken to object deporting of its activists from Kosovo. Vetëvendosje appealed to Hyseni to immediately stop these actions.
Kosovo’s Interior Minister, Skender Hyseni, told a parliamentary briefing today that according to official information there are 70 active fighters from Kosovo in Syria and Iraq. “There are also 38 women and 27 children. 57 Kosovar nationals have been declared dead,” Hyseni told the parliamentary committee on internal affairs and security. Hyseni said Kosovo Police have been able to prevent 40 Kosovars from going to Syria and Iraq.
Although members of the Kosovo Assembly have already voted in favor of the establishment of the special court, legal experts in Pristina argue that this was a great mistake and an injustice vis-a-vis the state and people of Kosovo. According to these experts, Kosovo’s institutions should have conducted investigations into war crimes allegations.
Kosovo’s Interior Minister, Skender Hyseni, during the Assembly session today said that within the period of one year, since the law that prohibits participation in foreign wars entered into force, the prosecution filed 33 criminal charges against persons who participated in foreign wars. “The law was very effective because there has been 10 months now that no one from Kosovo traveled to participate in foreign wars. Excluding two attempts in November which were prevented by the Kosovo Police,” Hyseni said.
Kosovo’s Interior Minister, Skender Hyseni, told Radio Free Europe on Tuesday that international cooperation and exchange of information between security institutions of different countries, are the essential elements for combating terrorism and violent extremism. According to him, the non-recognition of Kosovo by Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the lack of diplomatic relations with these two countries, is the main obstacle to exchange of information and combating terrorism in the regional context.
Minister of Interior Affairs, Skender Hyseni, called on Kosovo Serbs today to get Kosovo’s biometric passports in order to be able to travel visa free in the Schengen Zone after Kosovo gets visa liberalization. “After all this is a travel document and there is no technical or political obstacle for the Serb citizens of the Republic of Kosovo to be equipped with biometric passports. They need to get the biometric passports of the Republic of Kosovo,” Hyseni told Radio Free Europe.
Kosovo’s Interior Minister Skender Hyseni said he was optimistic that the European Parliament would very soon approve the recommendation of the European Commission to lift the visa regime for the people of Kosovo. According to Hyseni, the European Parliament is expected to vote on the recommendation in 10-12 weeks’ time “and we hope the citizens will be able to move freely by mid-summer or little bit after”.