US ambassador praises Macedonian police operation, calls for speedier reforms

09/11/2007

US Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland praised the Macedonian police for their operation earlier in the week against a group of militants. She also urged the country to push ahead with the reforms needed for Euro-Atlantic integration.

By Dimitar Bocevski and Zoran Nikolovski or Southeast European Times in Skopje -- 09/11/07

US Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland (left) met on Thursday (November 8th) with Prime Minister Nikola Gruevsk in Skopje. [Tomislav Georgiev]

US Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland, on a visit to Skopje on Thursday (November 8th), saluted the police operation against an ethnic Albanian militant gang Wednesday.

"We were informed about the operation. We were especially impressed by the fact that multi-ethnic police forces carried out the tasks," she said after a meeting with Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and other officials.

The police operation, called Mountain Storm, was launched on Wednesday in the village of Brodec in order to arrest a criminal group of 30 to 50 people, led by Ramadan Siti and Lirim "Nazi" Jakupi. Around 250 members of the interior ministry's Special Tasks Unit and Special Unit for Rapid Deployment advanced on the village, while a smaller group of 50 police Special Forces were positioned at the Macedonia-Kosovo border.

Two police helicopters were dispatched to provide aerial reconnaissance, and according to the daily newspaper <i>Vreme</i.>, three Army Mi-24 helicopters provided combat air support.

Police have confirmed six dead -- Ramadan Siti, Tidan Feyzulahu, Imer Gavazi from Kosovo, Bekim Memeti from Tetovo and Ferad Sahimi, Fisnik Ameti from Brodec. Thirteen people were arrested -- all ethnic Albanians -- and are charged with supporting the criminals.

Jakupi reportedly was not at the village at the time of the operation, but a broad police search is under way along Sar Mountain to arrest him and a small group with him.

The action came just one day before Nuland, on a regional tour, arrived in Skopje to deliver a call for more reforms.

"When you run a marathon, you can't relax in the final two miles, but sprint to the finish line. That is a short time but we are confident that Macedonia will succeed," she told officials.

She praised Macedonia for achieving economic progress, attracting foreign investment, and strengthening efforts against corruption and organised crime. Macedonia is an exemplary of a multi-ethnic democratic society in the region, Nuland said.

But she also pointed out that reforms in the judiciary and police have to continue. She called on political leaders to resolve remaining differences and establish constructive dialogue.

Finally, she urged Macedonia and Greece to go back to the negotiating table to work out a solution to their decades-old name dispute.

Macedonia, along with fellow Adriatic Charter members Albania and Croatia, hopes for an invitation to NATO membership in 2008.

"My president wants to see you in NATO," Nuland said during her meeting with President Branko Crvenkovski. "Unfortunately, out of the three candidates you are in the third place now."