Kosovo Flying Lobbyist Makes Tearful Return to Pristina

Berisha, who was detained in Africa during his mission to encourage recognitions of Kosovo’s independence, described the weeks he spent in prison in Eritrea as the worst time of his life.

“I never thought I’d return to Kosovo. My life was on the edge so many times while I was in jail," he told reporters upon his return with Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Behgjet Pacolli, who flew to Eritrea to release the pilot.

For five months, no one knew the exact whereabouts of Berisha, who began flying across Africa on his private plane in 2010.

His family lost contact with him on August 15, 2011, and recently expressed fears that he had been killed.

Berisha, who holds dual American-Kosovo citizenship, was detained in the east African country while attempting to push for recognition of Kosovo's independence there.

The pilot said he lobbied for six days in Eritrea, and before leaving the airport his problems started.

“At the airport exit, I was asked [by the Eritrean police] if I had filled out the exit card from the country. I turned back and went to fill in those documents, but I was told that I had no entry-visa. They asked me why I didn't have a visa, and I explained that I was a pilot, and that visas are not required for pilots,” he said.

He added that the authorities there kept him for three days at the airport, and afterwards he was sent to jail.

“They thought I was an American spy...For five months in the Eritrean prison, each day was like a year in freedom,” Berisha said with tears in his eyes.

He thanked Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister for getting him out of what he described as a nightmare. “If it weren't for Mr. Pacolli, I would have never returned to Kosovo.”

A resident of the US state of Texas who grew up in Kosovo, Berisha started flying across Africa in November 2010, asking African states to recognise Kosovo’s independence, declared in 2008.

At the end of May, Berisha crash-landed in Sudan, after a cylinder of his Cessna 172 4-seater plane broke and blocked the supply of fuel to the engine. He was unharmed.

Berisha, 39, flew all over Latin and Central America in 2009, visiting 34 countries and four territories to thank states that had recognised Kosovo’s independence and lobby others that have not.

He said he plans to return to his lobbying mission to Africa, since he didn't manage to visit Egypt and Libya. After that, Berisha plans to continue “Flying for Kosovo” in Asia.

His plane remained in Eritrea, whereas he hopes the authorities will do their outmost to get it back “and place it in a museum, since that where it belongs.”