Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski clarified on Tuesday that Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi bears no criminal liability for the incident involving Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani at Skopje Airport. The Minister stated that the only criminal liability rests on a police officer from Gashi’s security detail.

“The officer violated the internal rules and procedures of the Ministry of Interior by leaving the assigned VIP facility without authorization,” Minister Toshkovski explained. “It was not within his authority to handle the situation, and any criminal liability falls solely on him.”

The incident, which occurred at the airport’s VIP terminal, involved S.S., the head of the Parliament Speaker’s security detail. According to the Ministry of Interior, S.S. arrived at the terminal armed, entered an unauthorized area, and threatened the safety of airport staff and police officers. He allegedly demanded to escort President Osmani in a vehicle to the plane, leading to a conflict with members of the airport police.

In response, the Ministry has filed criminal charges against S.S. for “threatening security.” Additionally, proposals for disciplinary action have been submitted against S.S. and two other police officers involved in the incident. The measures include suspension and potential disciplinary procedures for violations such as executing an illegal order and negligent performance of duties.

In the aftermath, the SDSM party called for the immediate dismissal of Gashi as Parliament Speaker, while the Levica parliamentary group initiated a no-confidence motion, citing “unprincipled” conduct in office. The investigation into the incident involved questioning more than 15 witnesses and reviewing video surveillance footage.