The Mission of the European Union Rule of Law in Kosovo (EULEX) will be closed as soon as possible, reports last night Kosovo portal Gazeta Blic words of an unnamed German diplomat, adding that Germany in November will request a reduction of EULEX competencies. At the same time, another Kosovo portal, Gazeta Express writes that the prosecutor Maria Bamieh received threats that “cold blooded killer” would come for her, as well as that the threat came and from the EULEX.
News about the latest scandal about alleged corruption in EULEX, first discovered by Kosovo’s daily newspaper Koha Ditore, in relation to the alleged evidence that the prosecutor of the EULEX mission, Maria Bamieh has, are on the front pages of Kosovo’s portals and newspapers and relayed by all the media in Serbia.
“Kosovo is a country and we want Pristina itself to be more involved in the fight against corruption. The special war crimes court will operate out of the country, while corruption will be a task for the local population and a precondition for integration into the European Union. We do not have to spend money of tax payers on something that does not function. Therefore, we will shut this mission as soon as possible, “said an unnamed German diplomat for Gazeta Blic, adding that Germany would not only seek accountability in Brussels for alleged cases of corruption in EULEX, but will also require and a complete transformation of the mission and through further reduction of EULEX competencies. Berlin will present these requirements latest in November.
Gazeta Blic writes about the fact that the former head of EULEX, Bernt Borchardt, was ordered by Berlin to leave EULEX, despite the fact that his contract at that time was still on-going.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, had previously extended the mandate of Borchardt for one year, in order for Borchardt to fight against corruption in EULEX. However, he was then ordered to leave the EULEX as soon as possible, because “despite the best efforts” he “did not give the desired results in the fight against corruption” as well as the conflicts that have arisen within the Mission, especially among prosecutors, writes this Kosovo’s portal.
Not wanting, on the other hand, the mission to remain without a head of mission at the moment when “media storm” breaks out due to allegations of corruption in the Mission, Berlin then agrees that Gabriele Meucci becomes the new head of EULEX.
