Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has vowed to sue an EU investigator over a report accusing him of running a crime ring involved in trafficking organs.
Council of Europe investigator Dick Marty released the EU-commissioned report last week, charging Thaci with running what it calls a "mafia-like" criminal network trafficking in heroin, weapons, and organs from Serbian victims at the end of the 1998-99 Kosovo war.
Thaci, who has denied the allegations, told the Reuters news agency today that he would sue Marty for slander and calls the report an attack against Kosovo.
"The aim of this report is to damage the image of Kosovo and its people and all Albanians in this region, to impede the recognition of Kosovo's independence, to block the start of talks between Kosovo and Serbia and delay the creation of new institutions from the December 12 elections," Thaci said.
"Therefore it is political interference as well."
Meanwhile, Serbian official Rasim Ljajic today arrived in Strasbourg to meet with human rights officials at the Council of Europe in a diplomatic push for a fuller investigation.
compiled from agency reports
Council of Europe investigator Dick Marty released the EU-commissioned report last week, charging Thaci with running what it calls a "mafia-like" criminal network trafficking in heroin, weapons, and organs from Serbian victims at the end of the 1998-99 Kosovo war.
Thaci, who has denied the allegations, told the Reuters news agency today that he would sue Marty for slander and calls the report an attack against Kosovo.
"The aim of this report is to damage the image of Kosovo and its people and all Albanians in this region, to impede the recognition of Kosovo's independence, to block the start of talks between Kosovo and Serbia and delay the creation of new institutions from the December 12 elections," Thaci said.
"Therefore it is political interference as well."
Meanwhile, Serbian official Rasim Ljajic today arrived in Strasbourg to meet with human rights officials at the Council of Europe in a diplomatic push for a fuller investigation.
compiled from agency reports