Kosovo: Swedish diplomat human trafficking suspect

A Swedish diplomat tried to take a Kosovo family to Sweden via Macedonia, sidestepping procedures, police say. “The police are not concerned with how these people from Kosovo got their Swedish passports”, a spokesman for the Macedonian police, Ivo Kotevski, told Balkan Insight on Tuesday. Kosovo: Swedish diplomat human trafficking suspect “We are concerned with the way they tried to transit Macedonia and bypass Macedonian administrative procedures, facilitated by the Swedish diplomat from Sweden’s Embassy in Skopje,” he added. Kotevski said that the incident occurred on Saturday when five members of a family living in Kosovo arrived at Skopje airport, accompanied by the Swedish diplomat and escorted by soldiers from the Swedish peacekeeping contingent of KFOR. The family intended to fly to Sweden, but the police stopped them when they found no Macedonian entry stamps in their Swedish passports. In order to clear the situation, Macedonian police officers, along with Swedish representatives and their passengers, went to the Macedonia-Kosovo border crossing of Blace, where the police suspect the three Swedish KFOR vehicles, in which the Kosovars had been traveling, earlier entered Macedonia. “They probably used the special auxiliary border crossing at Blace that allows free travel for KFOR personnel stationed in Kosovo, unchecked by Macedonian police and customs”, Kotevski told Balkan Insight. According to Kotevski, upon arrival at the border crossing, the Swedish diplomat insisted that the Kosovo family get entry stamps without the proper procedure. “But when the Macedonian authorities refused, the three jeeps drove off, and, ignoring the border checkpoints, crossed into Kosovo”, Kotevski explained. He added that the diplomat, who stayed at the border, was later picked up by the Swedish ambassador to Macedonia. The Macedonian authorities have notified KFOR and the Swedish embassy about the incident. The Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Sofia Karlberg, was quoted on Tuesday telling media in Stockholm, that the Swedish authorities were investigating the circumstances of the reported incident. Karlberg said “an administrative error” appeared to have been made, but ruled out any possibility of trafficking.

Kosovo: Swedish diplomat human trafficking suspect

“We are concerned with the way they tried to transit Macedonia and bypass Macedonian administrative procedures, facilitated by the Swedish diplomat from Sweden’s Embassy in Skopje,” he added.

Kotevski said that the incident occurred on Saturday when five members of a family living in Kosovo arrived at Skopje airport, accompanied by the Swedish diplomat and escorted by soldiers from the Swedish peacekeeping contingent of KFOR.

The family intended to fly to Sweden, but the police stopped them when they found no Macedonian entry stamps in their Swedish passports.

In order to clear the situation, Macedonian police officers, along with Swedish representatives and their passengers, went to the Macedonia-Kosovo border crossing of Blace, where the police suspect the three Swedish KFOR vehicles, in which the Kosovars had been traveling, earlier entered Macedonia.

“They probably used the special auxiliary border crossing at Blace that allows free travel for KFOR personnel stationed in Kosovo, unchecked by Macedonian police and customs”, Kotevski told Balkan Insight.

According to Kotevski, upon arrival at the border crossing, the Swedish diplomat insisted that the Kosovo family get entry stamps without the proper procedure.

“But when the Macedonian authorities refused, the three jeeps drove off, and, ignoring the border checkpoints, crossed into Kosovo”, Kotevski explained.

He added that the diplomat, who stayed at the border, was later picked up by the Swedish ambassador to Macedonia.

The Macedonian authorities have notified KFOR and the Swedish embassy about the incident.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Sofia Karlberg, was quoted on Tuesday telling media in Stockholm, that the Swedish authorities were investigating the circumstances of the reported incident.

Karlberg said “an administrative error” appeared to have been made, but ruled out any possibility of trafficking.