SEESAC DAILY SALW MEDIA MONITORING REPORT 14 August 2007 14 Aug 07 Kosovo police official praises efforts to curb arms smuggling BBC Monitoring Service, RTKTV The Kosova [Kosovo] Police Service [KPS] has been very efficient in discovering and confiscating illegal weapons. We have with us KPS deputy commissioner Sheremet Ahmeti. [Reporter] Mr Ahmeti the last case of confiscating illegal weapons, do you believe that the police are dealing with one case or is this a new set of smugglers? [Kosova Police Service Deputy Commissioner Sheremet Ahmeti] I regard the last weapons haul by the KPS as severing a smuggling ring. A considerable amount of weapons, you know that more than 500 firearms were found, and we have to continue to stop and disable all weapon smuggling. [Reporter] How far has the investigation gone, and are you cooperating with neighbouring countries? [Ahmeti] I am certain that the investigation is on the right path, we have two out of the three in custody, now the investigative process is ongoing, and to fight this kind of crime we need to have the cooperation of the neighbours. We have constant contacts with our neighbouring colleagues and in urgent cases we coordinate our moves via telephone, but I believe that there is more room for cooperation in crime fighting. [Reporter] KPS is always showing successes in this field, but how do you explain the fact that the UNDP statistics say that more than 400,000 small arms are in possession of Kosova citizens? [Ahmeti] The fact itself of uncovering and the confiscating the weapons shows that KPS has stepped up its engagement and we continue to work in this field so our engagement does not miss out. [Reporter] How safe can we feel, when the statistics say that such a large number of weapons are in the hands of citizens? [Ahmeti] I believe that the citizens have to hand over their weapons and allow for KPS and [NATO-led] Kfor [Kosovo Force] to be in charge of their security and it is unnecessary for law biding citizens to posses weapons. Only those authorized, police and Kfor should possess weapons. [Reporter] Mr. Ahmeti, the Radisheve case is not the last case of this kind that happened in post war Kosova. Have you managed to find out who are the masked men? [Ahmeti] Police and Kfor are engaged and they will do everything possible so Kosova citizens feel safe and secure, we are working in this field and that we will have concrete results very soon. [Reporter] Radisheve villagers demanded that the police either provide them with security or they will leave their homes. How do you comment this statement? [Ahmeti] I do not believe that it is necessary for the Radisheve villagers to leave their homes on the contrary I believe that my constant presence, whenever I have time, speaks for itself that there is security in Radisheve. Surely there is need for added engagement by the police in the field of providing security for citizens. I believe that direct presence of the police shows there is security and I do not see that Radisheve villagers are insecure. [Reporter] Let us go back a little to 10 February when two were killed during the Self-Determination Movement protests. Following the protest there were calls for your resignation, did you ever think why there were calls for your resignation? [Ahmeti] I understand the pain of Kosova citizens, it was also my pain, and it is unfair to believe differently, to think differently, because that was a serious moment. All the investigations were completed, and they show who is at fault, UNMIK UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo] police commissioner said in his interview that Kosova police were not responsible for the 10 February events. [Reporter] Does this mean that you do not have a reason to resign, as it was demanded after the protest? [Ahmeti] Absolutely not, after extensive investigations and all the reports it was proven clearly and neither the Kosova police nor I, Sheremet Ahmeti, can be held responsible for 10 February events. [Reporter] Mr. Ahmeti you are not new in this field, you were previously in police structures and now you are again in the police structures. Can you tell us, how satisfied are you with the achievements of these police officers, given that some of them are quite young? [Ahmeti] For such a short period of time, the achievements by the Kosova police are truly envoys. I can say it with full responsibility and I believe that if they continue to work as they have done until now they will be equal to other police forces in the region.