Serbia denied access to Kosovo Minister

Kosovo’s Minister of Diaspora has been denied entry into Serbia, where he was headed to meet local Albanian leaders.

Minister Ibrahim Makolli, who was heading to the mainly ethnic Albanian Presevo Valley area of southern Serbia on Thursday, was turned back by the Serbian authorities at the Konculj border crossing.

Makolli, who had not sought any permission from the authorities in Belgrade, told Balkan Insight that he was not given any reason why he was refused entry.

“They didn’t let me in. Nor did they give me any reason why I’m not allowed to enter Serbia,” the minister explained, adding that he later found out from Riza Halimi, the only Albanian lawmaker in Serbia’s Parliament, what had happened.

“Riza Halimi explained to me that Serbia’s Interior Ministry told him that Ibrahim Makolli cannot enter Serbia as a citizen nor as a minister.”