After the DUI party came out swinging against the newly appointed director of the Intelligence Agency Erol Musliu, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev responded that his appointment is the matter for the newly elected President Stevo Pendarovski.

The President has sometimes known not to consult me on certain issues. That is his purview and his right. I believe that consultations will continue, on this and other issues. The President of the state will respond to this, I have no ambition to get involved, I’m very careful in that, Zaev said when asked about Musliu’s appointment.

DUI, which joined Zaev’s SDSM party in supporting Pendarovski for President, was incensed when Musliu was named to the post. It is believed that Musliu was involved in feeding information damaging for DUI to the media and that he is close to SDSM deputy leader Muhamed Zekiri, who is in an open confrontation with DUI. DUI hoped that it will get an Albanian candidate to lead the Intelligence Agency, but somebody close to their party and not an open rival. Specifically, Musliu is suspected in leaking a series of documents revealing that DUI leader Ali Ahmeti, his uncle Fazli Veliu and his long time top assistant Musa Xhaferi were collaborators of the Yugoslav secret police and were recruited to spy on other Albanian nationalists.

DUI demands that Pendarovski removes his newly appointed intelligence chief

Pendarovski’s office spoke to the state run MIA news agency to tell them that Musliu is a top professional and is highly valued by “partner intelligence services”, a phrase meant to imply that his appointment was influenced by the US and the EU.

Zaev is involved in talks with DUI leader Ali Ahmeti over the promised purge of corrupt officials in the Government, and it is likely that Musliu’s name will be added to the list of officials whose fate SDSM and DUI have to decide on.

Musliu himself said that he would rather not comment on the criticism he received from DUI.

You heard the President, I’m appointed by the President, and DUI is a political party. As far as I know, they supported the President Stevo Pendarovski. What more can I say?, responded Musliu.

Zekiri also got involved, going after DUI.

You have to realize that we need people with credibility and professionals who will be appreaciated. I congratulate President Stevo Pendarovski on his team, Zekiri wrote on his Facebook account.