Kosovo PM sacks interior minister amid disagreements over moves to fight coronavirus

Kosovo’s PM Albin Kurti sacked his interior minister amid disagreements over whether the country should declare a state of emergency to halt the spread of coronavirus. The move may bring down the government less than two months after it was formed, Reuters said.

President Hashim Thaci proposed late on Tuesday that parliament declare a state of emergency, but PM Albin Kurti said such a drastic measure wasn’t necessary. Interior Minister Agim Veliu publicly opposed the prime minister and said that his party would support the president.

“In these circumstances I am obliged to act and I have decided to dismiss the interior minister Veliu,” Kurti said.

Kosovo has registered 19 people infected by the coronavirus since last Friday, when the first case was reported, and most were linked to Italy. Serbia’s breakaway province has already closed its borders and shut all schools, flights, bars and restaurants. Only supermarkets and pharmacies remain open.