16.10.2001

Realised work meeting between Public Prosecutor of Republic of Macedonia mr. Stavre Dzikov and Ambassador of Switzerland in Republic of Macedonia mr. Stefan Nelen, anent decision of Federal Council of Switzerland concerning the prohibition of Fazli Veliu from establishing, representing with propagandist material or financial support of organisations or third parts that use violence in the conflict in Macedonia, in this occasion Ambassador mr. Nelen has deliver subsequent press releases in which are in details described decisions of Federal Council of Switzerland.

PUBLIC PROSECUTION OF REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Press release
The Federal Council prohibits Fazli Veliu from engaging in political activities in Switzerland

The Federal Council wants to avoid a situation whereby the conflict in the Balkans is stirred up from Switzerland. It decided on Friday to prohibit the Macedonian of Albanian ethnicity, Fazli Veliu, from establishing, representing or supporting any organizations which are either themselves violently involved in the conflict in Macedonia or which provide third parties that use violence in this conflict, with propagandist, material or financial support. Veliu is under threat of deportation if he should contravene this ban. The Federal Council has asked the Federal Department of Justice and Police to notify Veliu of this resolution.

Veliu's activities
Fazli Veliu is a Macedonian of Albanian ethnicity. He has lived in Switzerland since 1987, is regarded as a representative of a Greater Albania, and was chairman of LPK (popular movement of Kosovo) until 1998. He was then active as a consultant for UCK. In late May, the UCK leadership in Macedonia appointed him representative of Switzerland. Veliu makes speeches at events-which also have a fund-raising aspect-in Switzerland and in other countries.

the activities of political groups of Albanian ethnicity in Switzerland have not so far resulted in any noteworthy interference with internal security. However, Switzerland serves these groups as logistics theatre, recruitment base, and propaganda zone. In a few cases, weapons were procured or brokered, and great amounts of money are being collected for humanitarian purposes or political objectives. In most recent times, this has thus contrived to give the impression that Switzerland tolerates or even supports such activities.

Switzerland's position
Switzerland does not tolerate other countries' internal security being directly or indirectly endangered by people working from Swiss territory. Nor has in remained inactive in this particular case. Branches of the UCK and various political organizations, such as LPK, have been subjected to measures aiming at the preservation of internal security. Also, Switzerland has stripped some people of their asylum status, and the Federal Office of Police has twice reported the Bota Sot newspaper, which is published in Switzerland, to the Zurich prosecution authorities. In this connection, mention should also be made of the ban on the acquisition and carrying of arms which has been put on nationals of Yugoslavia's successor states.

Veliu's activities are apt to jeopardize Switzerland's relations with Macedonia and with other countries which, like Switzerland, are making efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement in the Balkans and which condemn the belligerent activities of Albanian nationalists. For this reason, the Federal Council regards the issue of an order pursuant to Art. 184(3) of the Federal Consistuion as justified. This article refers to relations with other countries and provides that the Federal Council may issue regulations and orders if the preservation of national interest so requires.

Constitutional measures
On the basis of the above, the Federal Council decided to apply Art.184(3) to Fazli Veliu and to prohibit him from establishing, representing or supporting any organizations which are either themselves violently involved in the conflict in Macedonia or which provide third parties that use violence, with propagandist, material or financial support. To prevent any circumvention of this ban, Veliu is not allowed to order third parties to undertake such activities, either. In the case of an infringement of this ban, he is threatened with deportation in accordance with Art.121 (2) of the Federal Constitution, for reasons of preserving Swiss security interests.

Berne, 15 June 2001

Press release
The Federal Council orders further measures against activists in the Macedonian conflict

On Tuesday, the Federal Council ordered measures against further exponents of the Macedonian conflict in Switzerland. Pursuant to Art.184 (3) of the Federal Constitution, the government prohibited Ali Ahmeti and Xhavit Haliti from entering Swiss territory without express permission until further notice. In addition, the government prohibited these two persons, as well as Musa Dzaferi, from establishing, representing or supporting any organizations which either participate in the violent conflict in Macedonia themselves or which provide any parties which are prepared to use violence with indirect support. Musa Dzaferi was threatened with deportation should be contravene these orders.

The Federal Council instructed the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) to enforce these orders.

The measures are justified because these persons operate for the UCK and the LPK (popular movement in Kosovo, political arm of the UCK) in leading positions in the conflict area and in Switzerland, respectively, whilst they are subject to Swiss immigration law.

In the cases of further persons whose settlement permits are supposed to be reviewed, there are indications that they have been staying in the conflict area for a lengthy period of time and have been involved in activities for the pro-Albanian party to the conflict. If indications of a period of residence outside Switzerland of at least six months can be corroborated in a legally sufficient manner, their residence permits will expire.

The FDJP has ordered the requisite measures against these persons from ex-Yugoslavia within its field of competence (Federal Office of Police, Federal Office for Refugees, Federal Aliens Office). In particular, these measures concern the termination of granted asylum, possible expulsion (pursuant to the Asylum Act), the forfeiture of the settlement permit under immigration law, and deportation.

Switzerland's position

As early as 15 June 2001, the Federal Council felt obliged to prohibit a Macedonian national of Albanian ethnicity, Fazli Veliu, from political activities in Switzerland. The government justified this step by asserting that Switzerland could not allow anyone to endanger other countries' internal security, directly or indirectly, from Swiss territory. Nor is it admissible that exponents of a party to the conflict should be able to participate actively in the violent conflict while still being able to return to Switzerland at any time.

The activities pursued by the persons concerned are apt to jeopardize Switzerland's relations with Macedonia and with other countries which, like Switzerland, are making efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement in the Balkans and which condemn the belligerent activities of Albanian nationalists. For this reason, the Federal Council regards the issue of the above-mentioned order as justified.

Berne, 3 July 2001