Former Kosovo prime minister arrested
SOFIA, Bulgaria - Bulgarian authorities have detained a former Kosovo prime minister on an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol, and Serbia sought his extradition yesterday.
Agim Ceku, the prime minister of Kosovo between 2006 and 2008, was taken into custody at Serbia’s request at the Gyueshevo border checkpoint while entering Bulgaria from Macedonia late Tuesday, according to police.
Ceku, 48, is wanted for war crimes allegedly committed during the 1998-1999 fighting in Kosovo, when he was military chief of the Kosovo Liberation Army, made up of ethnic Albanian guerrillas.
Ceku’s arrest comes despite repeated requests from UN officials in Pristina that the Belgrade-issued arrest warrant be disregarded.
Serbian Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said yesterday that Serbia has filed an extradition request for Ceku with the Bulgarian authorities. She said she hopes Bulgaria will hand over Ceku as soon as possible based on a 1960 legal agreement between Belgrade and Sofia. 