Tribunal before elections, it will focus on Marty’s allegations (Koha)
In an interview for the paper, Jonathan Moore, director of the Office for South-East Europe in the U.S. State Department, said the decision to establish the tribunal for Kosovo needs to be made by the current legislative. Moore highlighted several reasons why the tribunal needs to be established and why it requires support from institutions, leaders and political parties.
Moore said the Tribunal would have a limited scope of activity and that it is supposed to address allegations made in Dick Marty’s report.
Moore also said that before going to elections, Kosovo should first decide on the Tribunal and give the green light to the new mandate of EULEX.
EU: Not a tribunal but a special court based in Kosovo (RTK)
The European Union has officially confirmed the intention to establish a special court that would address allegations about war crimes committed during the Kosovo conflict. In a written response to RTK, the EU Office in Pristina said the EU is not proposing the establishment of a tribunal but rather a special court that would operate within Kosovo’s judicial system.
“The court would be based in Kosovo, but sensitive sessions including hearing of witnesses would be held outside the country given their sensitive nature of allegations. Secondly, this is not a court for Kosovo or the Kosovo Liberation Army or the nature of the war, but rather involves investigations about allegations for serious criminal acts committed by individuals. The court will be established after the exchange of letter for the Special Investigative Task Force and the EULEX mandate between Kosovo and the European Union and after their endorsement in parliament,” the EU reply said.
Haradinaj: Court, either voted in parliament or decided by UNSC (Express)
In an interview for Voice of America, Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance of the Future of Kosovo (AAK), commented on reports about the establishment of a Court for Kosovo that will address Dick Marty’s allegations for organs trafficking in Kosovo.
Haradinaj said Kosovo would either have to vote in parliament for the court or a decision will be made by the United Nations Security Council. “We will have to choose one of these options, none are easy to make, but we will have to decide: if we want to assume responsibility and vote about the court in parliament, and if not the issue will be decided by the United Nations Security Council,” Haradinaj added.
War Veterans: Tribunal violates Kosovo’s sovereignty (Koha)
Muharrem Xhemajli, leader of the KLA War Veterans, said the establishment of a tribunal that would try crimes allegedly committed by the KLA would violate Kosovo’s sovereignty. Following a meeting with Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, Xhemajli said war veterans are against the tribunal. Xhemajli also thanked all members of parliament who voted in favor of the bill on war veterans.
Thaci said Kosovo has functioning judicial institutions that are respected by the international community. “The international experience we have gained in the last 15 years has been very helpful and we have overcome every challenge. Now that the law on war veterans has been adopted, the values of the Kosovo Liberation Army have become institutional. The fight of the KLA was righteous, legitimate and in defense of the people. It was the fight of the people of Kosovo. The KLA was the most successful guerilla force in the world and it did not commit crimes. We led a clean fight and we respected all international norms and standards,” Thaci said.
