Radio Television of Kosovo Reports Belgrade Planned to Assassinate Kurti in Skopje, Skopje Denies Report

Albin Kurti, Ohrid, March 18 2023 (BETAPHOTO/EMIL VAS)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of North Macedonia said on Feb. 10, after the Radio Television of Kosovo reported on threats against the life of Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti while he was in Skopje on Feb. 9, that there had been no assassination attempt.

Interior Ministry spokesman Toni Angelovski told Telegrafi Makedonija that there had been no attempt on Kurti's life and that his police security detail had been assigned according to regulations and protocol. "We inform you that there was no attempted murder during Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti's visit to Skopje. As for Premier Kurti's security during his visit, it was assigned according to predetermined regulations and security assessments," Angelovski said.

Kosovo's public broadcaster the Radio Television of Kosovo reported earlier that Kurti had been under strict security measures while in Skopje due to reports of a planned assassination. On Feb. 10, Kurti said he received information during a meeting with sister Socialist parties in Skopje of "numerous threats by individuals and structures" that could be traced back to Belgrade, the Radio Television of Kosovo reported.

Citing security sources, the Radio Television of Kosovo said "possible assassins from Serbian-Macedonian extremist circles close to the Russian Federation but controlled by Serbian institutions" had planned to assassinate the premier of Kosovo.