Bulgaria releases ex-Kosovo PM Agim Ceku

AFP ^ | June 26, 2009 | AFP

[Ravnagora]

SOFIA (AFP) — Bulgaria on Thursday released former Kosovo premier Agim Ceku, arrested on a warrant from Serbia, where he is wanted on war crimes charges, an AFP photographer in the court reported.

Ceku walked free after a prolonged hearing into whether or not Sofia should extend his detention. He was initially held in custody only for a period of 72 hours.

The former Kosovo premier was, however, asked to remain in Bulgaria until July 2, in case the prosecution appealed his release, judge Sonya Kocheva was cited by national radio as saying.

Prosecutors hinted they would not appeal.

Serbia's Justice Ministry official Slobodan Homen said the decision to release Ceku from detention was a "political one."

"Once again, politics overcome international law," Homen told state-run Tanjug news agency.

He added that Ceku would be "sooner or later available to Serbia's justice."

"Our ministry is still awaiting official information from our Bulgarian counterparts and an explanation why Ceku has been released," Homen said.

Ceku was detained on an Interpol arrest warrant at the Gyueshevo border checkpoint near Kyustendil on Tuesday night, while he was entering Bulgaria from Macedonia.

Serbia has since officially requested his extradition, while Kosovo insisted that Ceku be released.

The former premier and one-time top commander of Kosovo's Liberation Army of ethnic Albanian guerillas was brought to the court Thursday heavily guarded and in handcuffs, the AFP photographer said.

Clad in an official black suit and a tie, he told the court that the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at the Hague had already investigated crimes in the region and identified the people responsible for them, adding: "No charges were raised against me."

"I am not a Serbian national and never was. Serbia cannot request the extradition of foreign nationals (other than) its own,"...

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