In an interview for Radio Free Europe, Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said that the Turkish Embassy’s nota verbale was “unusual” and “unacceptable.”

The minister’s response comes days after the Turkish Embassy in Kosovo sent a letter requesting legal action against a Kosovo journalist who supported the failed coup in Turkey. The  journalist, Berat Buzhala, had published a status on Facebook inviting all Kosovar vacationers in Turkey to join the coup. The status was followed by an emoticon (a face with a stuck out tongue), indicating the quip to be sarcastic. Buzhala also maintains that all his statuses about the coup were sarcastic in nature.

The embassy requested that “legal measures” be taken against the journalist, in accordance with a law that bans participation in foreign wars.

“Without a doubt this is an overreaction from the side of the Turkish embassy in Prishtina, as well as an unusual nota verbale,” said the minister.

“In my opinion, it was an overreaction of the Turkish Embassy in Prishtina,” said Hoxhaj on Wednesday. “Our constitutional and political order, our political culture and our Euro-Atlantic efforts indicate that we respect freedom of thinking, freedom of expression, and freedom of press, and this is also how I understood the reaction of Mr. Buzhala, which I think was more sarcastic in content, rather than a political point.”

Journalists condemn Turkey’s request to punish Kosovo journalist over coup comments

On July 26, the Association of Journalists in Kosovo protested against the Turkish Embassy’s letter and requested an official apology, as well as the ambassador’s dismissal.

Minister Hoxhaj said that his office was in touch with the Turkish Embassy, but that the Kosovo Government could not interfere in the judiciary.

“Our state is a young and small state, but small states too need to protect their prestige, pride, and international credibility, and protect the interests of their citizens,” said Hoxhaj. “Our relations to Turkey are friendly. We are grateful to Turkey for the great support it has given to the state of Kosovo. Nevertheless, the nota verbale as such is unacceptable and I hope this misunderstanding will be overcome.”

Kosovo’s Chief Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi said that Buzhala’s comments did not constitute a criminal offence.