Maldives Recognition Probe Ends

The Parliament of the Maldives has suspended an investigation into allegations of a $2 million bribe, allegedly accepted by the government of this small chain of Indian Ocean islands to recognise Kosovo’s independence.

A parliamentary committee that was investigating the allegation, after concerns raised by Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed, said it suspended the investigations as the president “failed to provide crucial pieces of evidence”.

The Maldives recognised Kosovo’s independence on February 19. The recognition was followed by media reports claiming that a Kosovo businessman and politician, Behgjet Pacolli, delivered an alleged bribe of $2 million, to Maldives government.

Pacolli denied the allegation and accused the Serbian government of “being behind this speculation”. Maldive’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Shaheed echoed this claim.

Speaking to agency Minivan News, Shaheed said that Serbia, which has influence on Maldivian politics, was against Kosovo’s independence and Maldives’ decision to recognise the country as a sovereign state.

Maldivian opposition leader Abdulla Yamin, who was leading the investigative committee, said that the investigation is not ruled out, but rather temporarily shelved.

“We are trying to find out to what extent commercial diplomacy has been employed,” Yamin told Minivan News.
“As soon as we get a reply, we will be able to proceed,” he added.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008.

The Maldives, which became the 54th country to recognise Kosovo, is made up of a chain of nearly 1,200 islands, most of them uninhabited, which lie off the Indian sub-continent.