The Pan-Albanian Federation of America/

V A T R A(THE HEARTH)/

2437 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10458-6501/

Phone: 718-365-6930- Fax: 718-365-6852/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/

January 4, 2017/

The Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA (The Hearth) is very surprised and deeply concerned by the arrest of Ramush Haradinaj today at the Basel-Mulhouse- Fribourg airport in France.

It is reported that the arrest was executed on a warrant issued by Serbian authorities in  2004. Since it is well known that Mr. Haradinaj has already been cleared twice by the International Tribunal in The Hague, it’s intriguing as to what is the real purpose for this incomprehensible act, 17 years after the war between Serbia, the aggressor, and Kosova, the victim, and at a time when negotiations are being conducted between the two, facilitated by the European Union, with the aim of establishing normal neighborly relations.

Serbian government displays its hypocrisy in keeping active the unjustified arrest warrant against Mr. Haradinaj and continuously committing provocations against Kosova, the

wall in Mitrovica being the latest before today, while pretending to negotiate for normal relations with Kosova.

The international community, including France, should abandon the attitude of appeasing Serbia at the expense of Kosova and should push Belgrade to sincerely engage in constructive negotiations with Prishtina, to establish a just and lasting peace in the Balkans.

We call upon the French government to immediately release Mr. Haradinaj!