In recent days, Pristina dailies were writing about announced reorganization of EULEX and whether the same reorganization will be carried out at the request of Pristina or the EU. No one of Serbian officials yet reacted.
The EU strategy for the EULEX transformation, to which we had access, states that from 14 June restructured EULEX will have three activities: supporting the implementation of the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, monitoring and supervision of Kosovo central institutions, and executive powers in regards to high-profiled cases of organized crime, corruption, war crimes and privatization.
Former State Secretary for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic said it is bad that reconfigured EULEX will have only an advisory role and supervise Kosovo institutions, because Kosovo society is not able to deal with difficult processes, and cannot prosecute ethnically motivated crimes. “It would be a disaster if EULEX would distance from the field of justice, because the Kosovo justice system is unable to prosecute war crimes, and even less are willing to prosecute organized crime and corruption , as they are incorporated into the structure of government ,” said Ivanovic.
He stated that there is the possibility that the EU has a financial problem with this mission, but believes that institution should not be changed because of staff.
Among the main problems due to which this mission cost a lot and did a little, Ivanović mentioned three reasons: the level and quality of EULEX personnel was low, they opted to act compromised and did not involve in issues that would bring them into trouble with the local community and as third, Kosovo authorities were against investigations of corruption, which is in the very top of government.
One of the objectives of the reformed EULEX would be the application of the Brussels Agreement. However, Ivanovic indicates that in such mandate EULEX would only deal with Serbs in northern Kosovo. “This means that it will train and supervise the police and judiciary in the north. And that would be disastrous, because they would not be engaged in other parts of Kosovo, “said Ivanovic, warning that the Serbs would not accept it.
“They now focus exclusively to the north, believing that there will be less hassle with the Serbs. In such a case, it will indeed be smaller and cheaper mission; they would show that they have some mandate and will deal only with the Serbs, “said Ivanovic.
Recall, the decision on reorganization of UNMIK and deployment of EULEX in Kosovo was made after pressure on the Serbian government, in November 2008. After it, UN Security Council, by a unanimous decision, opened the door for the EU mission, which has been approved as a status neutral.
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, then in New York, welcomed the report of the UN Secretary General and urged the authorities in Pristina not to oppose the will of the international community.
When the Kosovo Assembly adopted a resolution calling for the withdrawal of the mission in July last year, the Director of the Office for K&M, Aleksandar Vulin warned international community that departure and relocation of EULEX would mean that agreements are annulled. For Serbian side that would mean that agreements could not be implemented.
So far, Minister Vulin did not comment the future mandate of EULEX .
