Minister of the Interior Pance Toškovski responded to the opposition SDSM’s accusations regarding the escape of Blerim Ramadani, calling them an attempt to score minor political points and mislead the public. In a post on his official Facebook profile, Toškovski dismissed the allegations as baseless.

SDSM has once again shown that instead of focusing on the real problems and offering constructive criticism, it chooses to accuse just for the sake of accusing.” In the case of Blerim Ramadani’s escape, the real question should be why the court decided to place the person under house arrest instead of effective detention. I know literate lawyers in the SDSM who understand the separation of powers and know that the Ministry of the Interior and the court are different institutions, but it is unfortunate that the leadership of the SDSM and their PR department ignore these facts and make accusations in order to gain minor political points,” writes Toškovski on facebook status.

According to Toškovski, by making such accusations, SDSM is inadvertently acknowledging that their previous government left the country in a state of disarray. However, he added, blaming the new government for everything is nothing more than a manipulation of the public.

“In this case, the Ministry of the Interior acted in accordance with the law and as professionally as possible. The person was handed over to the court at the request of Interpol, which is in accordance with positive legal regulations. SDSM should stop with empty accusations, and we will continue to be focused on real solutions to improve the situation in the country. The elections on May 8 were a clear message from the people – SDSM experienced the worst result in history. Instead of getting the message across and addressing the real issues, they continue with the same old tactics. It’s time for them to face reality and realize that the people don’t forget who left the country in this state,” states Minister Toškovski.

The situation surrounding Blerim Ramadani, a former member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), has become increasingly complicated following his escape from house arrest in North Macedonia. Arrested on July 17, 2024, at the Kosovo-Macedonia border based on an Interpol warrant issued by Serbia, Ramadani was initially detained in Shutka prison. His arrest stems from Serbian allegations that he committed war crimes in the Nerodime region during his time with the KLA.

On August 1, the Macedonian court altered his detention status from prison to house arrest, placing him in the home of relatives in Skopje. The arrangement was set to last until August 16. However, Ramadani has now reportedly fled from this location, creating a potential diplomatic issue between Serbia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, as well as raising questions about the effectiveness of the monitoring of his house arrest.

This case underscores the ongoing tensions in the Balkans regarding wartime accountability and the challenges of international justice, especially concerning individuals linked to conflicts from the 1990s. Ramadani’s escape may lead to further complications in the already delicate relations between the involved countries.
photo by Sloboden Pechat