Housing for deportees, Kosovo: Selection by the US will be made according to security criteria

The acting government of Kosovo announced that the selection of 50 people, who will be sheltered in Kosovo after being deported from the United States, will be done in cooperation with American authorities and taking into account national security and public order.

This commitment comes as part of a decision by the acting Government of Kosovo, adopted on June 11, to offer temporary protection to third-country nationals deported from American territory.

Also, a day earlier, the US Supreme Court allowed President Donald Trump's administration to immediately resume deportations of migrants to countries other than their countries of origin, temporarily overturning a court order requiring migrants to have the opportunity to challenge deportation.

In a statement to Radio Free Europe, the spokesperson for the acting Government of Kosovo, Përparim Kryeziu, said that the cases of those arriving in Kosovo will be reviewed separately by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, while the temporary protection will last up to one year.

It is also announced that during this period, conditions in the country from which these persons come will be assessed and measures will be taken for their voluntary return.

"Based on our legislation in force, the state of Kosovo provides persons under temporary protection with basic living conditions, which includes shelter, accommodation, food, clothing and hygiene packages, as well as access to healthcare, including: emergency healthcare and treatment of diseases," said Kryeziu.

The statement also emphasizes that Kosovo has previous experiences with providing temporary protection to citizens from third countries.

Examples include the resettlement of Afghan citizens in 2021, in cooperation with NATO and the United States, as well as the acceptance of Ukrainian journalists through the "Journalists in Residence" program.

According to spokesperson Kryeziu, these experiences prove that Kosovo institutions are ready and able to manage such processes.

He said that the incumbent government considers the US a "steadfast ally" and expresses gratitude for its continued assistance and support, especially on Kosovo's path towards Euro-Atlantic integration.

The US State Department has welcomed Kosovo's decision to accept the deportees, saying the US is "grateful" for it.

Kosovo's acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has previously said that Kosovo authorities will work "in close cooperation with relevant American authorities throughout the process."

Some American diplomats and analysts have commented on Kosovo's agreement as an "important symbolic gesture," but have emphasized that such a thing does not fundamentally change the dynamics of relations between the two countries. /rel