Tadić says he "expects explanation"

President Boris Tadic says he expects to receive explanation from Bulgarian authorities regarding the Ceku case. Tadic told reporters in parliament in Belgrade on Friday that the decision to release Agim Ceku from custody does not contribute to "good neighborly relations". Tadic says he "expects explanation" He added that Serbia will continue to build the best possible relations with Bulgaria, in the fight against organized crime, and on reconciliation, "after all these difficult years". Earlier, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that Ceku’s release from custody represents a devastating blow to international law. Jeremic said that the news of Ceku’s release has caused great disappointment, and damage to the relationship and friendship between Serbia and Bulgaria, where the former leader of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was detained. “If something like this happened in Serbia, we would have a reason to be ashamed,” Jeremic said. The Serbian Justice Ministry was not officially informed by the Bulgarian government of the reasons for freeing the former Kosovo prime minister, nor whether a decision was made regarding the demand for extraditing Ceku to Serbia, Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said. Malovic said that the Justice Ministry sent Bulgaria a demand for Ceku’s extradition, including all necessary documentation, as well as an added clarification related to the jurisdiction of the court that approved the demand for issuing a warrant for Ceku’s arrest. “And this time again, when speaking of Ceku, politics won over justice, even when it comes to acts of war crimes and genocide, that do not fall under the statute of limitation,” the minister said. Ceku: Extradition would worsen relations After being released, Ceku said that his extradition to Belgrade would have "worsened relations between Bulgaria and Kosovo", according to Bulgarian news agency Focus. Ceku was freed after several hours of debate by the Bulgarian court on Belgrade’s demand to extradite the former Kosovo prime minister to Serbia, based on an indictment stating that Ceku was responsible for the death of 669 Serbs and 18 other non-Albanians as a former commander of the KLA. “My extradition from Bulgaria is not in anyone’s best interest and would worsen international relations,” Ceku said. He was arrested on Tuesday at the Macedonia-Bulgaria border crossing based on an Interpol warrant for his arrest issued on Serbia’s demand. “I was an actor in many political events, so my extradition could worsen the orderly ethnic relations in Kosovo and could eventually complicate relations between the two countries,” Ceku said upon release.

Tadić says he "expects explanation"

He added that Serbia will continue to build the best possible relations with Bulgaria, in the fight against organized crime, and on reconciliation, "after all these difficult years".

Earlier, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić said that Ceku’s release from custody represents a devastating blow to international law.

Jeremić said that the news of Ceku’s release has caused great disappointment, and damage to the relationship and friendship between Serbia and Bulgaria, where the former leader of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was detained.

“If something like this happened in Serbia, we would have a reason to be ashamed,” Jeremić said.

The Serbian Justice Ministry was not officially informed by the Bulgarian government of the reasons for freeing the former Kosovo prime minister, nor whether a decision was made regarding the demand for extraditing Ceku to Serbia, Justice Minister Snežana Malović said.

Malović said that the Justice Ministry sent Bulgaria a demand for Ceku’s extradition, including all necessary documentation, as well as an added clarification related to the jurisdiction of the court that approved the demand for issuing a warrant for Ceku’s arrest.

“And this time again, when speaking of Ceku, politics won over justice, even when it comes to acts of war crimes and genocide, that do not fall under the statute of limitation,” the minister said.

Ceku: Extradition would worsen relations

After being released, Ceku said that his extradition to Belgrade would have "worsened relations between Bulgaria and Kosovo", according to Bulgarian news agency Focus.

Ceku was freed after several hours of debate by the Bulgarian court on Belgrade’s demand to extradite the former Kosovo prime minister to Serbia, based on an indictment stating that Ceku was responsible for the death of 669 Serbs and 18 other non-Albanians as a former commander of the KLA.

“My extradition from Bulgaria is not in anyone’s best interest and would worsen international relations,” Ceku said.

He was arrested on Tuesday at the Macedonia-Bulgaria border crossing based on an Interpol warrant for his arrest issued on Serbia’s demand.

“I was an actor in many political events, so my extradition could worsen the orderly ethnic relations in Kosovo and could eventually complicate relations between the two countries,” Ceku said upon release.