Former Democratic Party MP Azgan Haklaj was detained today by North Macedonian authorities at the Bllata border crossing in Debar.
In an exclusive interview with Top Channel journalist Ana Kurti, Haklaj stated that Macedonian authorities have informed him that he cannot enter the territory of North Macedonia, as, according to him, he is considered a “threat to national public security” of the country.
Haklaj claims that today’s detention is related to the support he has given to the KLA and the activities organized in Tirana and Skopje in support of four former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
“Today they told me that you are banned from entering the Republic of Macedonia because you are a threat to the national public security of the Republic of Macedonia. They gave me a document and told me: ‘Sign it.’ And I said: ‘Sign it to reject the motivation.’ The representative of the Macedonian authorities there told me: ‘No,'” he claimed.
He also stated that he had contacted several political figures and diplomatic representatives to seek clarification on the situation. He stated that he was informed that the detention was not carried out by the police, but by the North Macedonian secret service.
“Under these conditions, I have notified Ali Ahmeti, the leader of the DUI, Ambassador Denion Meidan, Rafis Aliti, former deputy speaker of the RMV Parliament, and Arbër Ademi, a RMV MP. I explained the situation to them and, after many other contacts, they told me that it was not the police who detained you, but the RMV secret service.”
The secret service is internal to public security and external. The internal one depends on Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and the external one on the President. This is the reason for my detention, because we were going to the rally that was organized in Skopje, the ‘Freedom March’.
“They explained to me that my detention is due to the support you gave to the KLA and the rallies organized in Tirana and Skopje,” he declared.
He says he will again address the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs on this issue.
“I have also written a public letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the other bans. In the meantime, I have also told the ambassador in the Republic of Macedonia and my name has not been removed from the list. This problem is only with the Republic of Macedonia. I will address the Ministry of Foreign Affairs again regarding this ban,” he said.
Haklaj says that the problem with the Macedonian authorities began after the protest of October 17 last year in “Skënderbej” Square in Tirana, while he claims that he has previously had similar attitudes towards him from the authorities of North Macedonia and Russia. According to him, since then he has been stopped several times while crossing the border with North Macedonia.
“The story with North Macedonia began after October 17 last year, when we protested in ‘Skënderbej’ Square in Tirana. While my story with the Slavs began early, when in 2011 the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a note of protest against me, for my positions and statements in Presheva.
“North Macedonia has maintained this position in 2009 and now, after October 17 last year, I have been to both The Hague and Skopje, and since that day I have been stopped every time I have passed through the border crossing points with the Republic of Macedonia. I was informed that my name is in the system and, after my insistence and dialogue, they let me pass,” said the former MP.
Haklaj was traveling to Skopje together with journalist Ferdinand Samarxhiu, but the detention was ordered only for the former MP.
Top Channel