Wrote: Fatbardh Dema
A headline claimed that Kenyan President William Ruto received money from former Kosovo Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli to get Kenya to recognize Kosovo as an independent state.
The publication was made by the Serbian language media "pravda.rs", titled "Ruto took money from Pacolli for the recognition of the so-called Kosovo". The article was published on March 27 and the main image uses a photograph of the signing ceremony of the recognition declaration.
But what's wrong with this claim?
The article does not even reveal the fact that Ruto received money for recognizing Kosovo.
In fact, the entire content is based on a statement by the former Serbian ambassador to Kenya, Dragan Zupanjevac, to "Kosovo-online.com".
Zupanjevac's statement on "kosovo-online.com” (March 27):
"When Kenya was a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2021 and 2022, it spoke with principles in the sessions on Kosovo. Now there is a change, when the former minister of the so-called Kosovo, Pacolli, who is de-facto in corrupt relations with the president, financed a change of position, and this is not good for Serbia."
While "kosovo-online.com" indicated in the headline that this claim is Zupanjevac's, "pravda.rs" did not do so.
Zupanjevac has not presented any facts or documents to substantiate his claim.
In a statement for the Serbian version of BBCPacolli spoke about his investments in Kenya.
"My business group already has major investments in Kenya – in tourism and infrastructure. However, I do not believe that these investments were a decisive factor in the decision for recognition," he is quoted as saying.
The announcement by the Kenyan Department of State for Foreign Affairs in X states:
"Kenya recognizes Kosovo as a state. The Declaration of Independence of February 17, 2008, received the support of the International Court of Justice in 2010. Kenya recognized Kosovo in the interest of international peace and security, territorial integrity and in advancing the strengthening of relations with countries in the Balkans."
For the recognition of Kenya
Kenya recognized Kosovo on March 26. According to the list of the Kosovo MFA, the African country is the 118th to recognize the Independence declared in 2008. The recognition by Kenya was the first in the last four years. (See here)
The announcement of recognition was made by Pacolli, who published what he said was the signing ceremony of the recognition.Then the president Vjosa Osmani published the decision of the Republic of Kenya.
Pacolli said in the announcement that Ruto had promised him recognition since 2016.
Ruto has met with President Osmani three times during 2024.
Pacolli has held several high-ranking roles in Kosovo. In addition to being Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has also been President and Deputy Prime Minister. (See here)
Analyze:
The Serbian-language media outlet "pravda.rs" has claimed that the president of Kenya received money from former Kosovo Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli to recognize Kosovo as a state.
The article provides no facts and is based entirely on a statement by the former Serbian ambassador to Kenya.
Based on the working methodology, hibrid.info assesses the claim as a "Conspiracy Theory".
Reasoning:
"Conspiracy theories" are considered to be informational content that contains a false or unverifiable description of a phenomenon, event or person, presenting it as part or the result of a secret plan ("conspiracy"). The characteristic of these contents is that they present a series of claims, presented as facts, between which cause-effect relationships are established, without providing any reliable evidence.