UNMIK Headlines 22 July
Investigations result in war crimes indictment (Koha)
The paper reports on the front page that the Special Investigations Task Force led by US prosecutor Clint Williamson has found evidence for war crimes against civilians committed by at least ten members of the former Kosovo Liberation Army. Most of the victims were Serbs. The charges include killing of civilians, torture and detention in inhumane conditions, but not organs trafficking. The defendants are expected to be charged with individual criminal responsibility. The investigation failed to find sufficient evidence for an indictment for organs trafficking. The paper learns that there will also be an indictment against some KLA members for the disappearance of a large number of Serbs in Zoqishtë, Rahovec/Orahovac. Two senior KLA members are believed to be responsible for this.
Williamson, accompanied by EULEX chief Bernd Borchardt, met on Monday with Minister of Justice Hajredin Kuci, Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi and KSF Minister Agim Ceku. Citing sources from the meeting, the paper reports that Williamson told Kosovo officials that there are around 10 suspects and that there was no sufficient evidence to back an organs trafficking indictment. Williamson also reportedly said that the war crimes indictment will not include leaders of the former KLA. “Williamson said he will present his report next week in Brussels but he will not reveal the names of the accused. Williamson also informed Kosovo authorities that the war crimes indictment against Serb and Albanian civilians includes the conflict period 1998-1999 and not after this period,” the source said.
High-level indictments (Tribuna)
The paper reports on the front page that the lead prosecutor for the EU Special Investigative Task Force (SITF) will present the findings of his investigations into allegations of war crimes and organized crime next week and while not mentioning names of possible indictees, Williamson will reveal the nature of crimes for which people of high profile are expected to be indicted. These findings, says the paper, will determine whether the most serious allegation, that of organ trafficking, has been grounded or not.
Williamson yesterday met several Kosovo leaders as well as representatives from the international community but the paper stresses that he refused to meet the outgoing Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci. This was done for the fact that Thaci is mentioned in the Council of Europe report by Swiss senator Dick Marty which makes him direct subject of investigations.
Haradinaj: No return to point zero (Bota Sot)
Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and opposition coalition’s candidate for Prime Minister, said on Monday after a meeting with the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa and leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), Fatmir Limaj, that “there will be no return to point zero”. Haradinaj said the term “point zero” is not valid, “because part of the Assembly leadership has already been nominated”. He also said that the LDK-AAK-NISMA bloc will soon form the government. He repeated that the bloc remains open for cooperation with the Vetevendosje Movement.
Vetevendosje doesn’t not exclude possibility of joining coalition (Bota Sot)
Visar Ymeri, member of the Vetevendosje Movement leadership, said on Monday that his party does not exclude the possibility of joining the government even if the Serbian List is part of it. Ymeri implied that the only important issue for Vetevendosje is its conditions. “If the government comes and tells us that we will be in a coalition with the Serbian List and that their first action will be to establish the association of Serb majority municipalities, Vetevendosje will not join them,” Ymeri added.
Tahiri travels to Brussels (Lajm)
Kosovo’s outgoing Deputy Prime Minister, Edita Tahiri, travelled to Brussels on Monday to attend a meeting that will focus on barricades in the town of Mitrovica. The meeting, which is organized by the office of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, is expected to result in a clear timeline for removing barricades and enabling freedom of movement in accordance with Kosovo laws and agreements reached between Pristina and Belgrade in Brussels. Mayors from both municipalities in Mitrovica, and representatives of the Ministry for Environment and the Ministry of Interior Affairs, are also expected to attend.
Jablanovic: We voted for Mustafa to avoid elections (Lajm)
Aleksandar Jablanovic, representative of the Serbian List in the Kosovo Assembly, told Radio Dukagjini on Monday that his political party is ready to enter the government with anyone that meets their four conditions: the establishment of the association of Serb majority municipality, stopping the process of privatization in Serb settlements, lowering of tensions in the north and the return of Serbs. Jablanovic also said that Serbian List MPs voted in favor of Isa Mustafa as Assembly Speaker in order to avoid new elections.
Government leaves Mitrovica without a joint board (Koha)
The paper reports on page two that the government of Kosovo has failed to establish the joint board that President Martti Ahtisaari had foreseen for the two municipalities in Mitrovica. As a result, problems faced by the two municipalities are now being discussed in Brussels. Government officials in Pristina did not say if they plan to establish the joint board, which was supposed to be led by an international official. Besnik Tahiri, director of the Pristina-based Kosovo Institute for Local Government, told the paper that a joint board is no longer necessary. “There is no need for such a board because we had elections in Mitrovica. Laws clearly provide for the responsibilities of both municipalities and for inter-municipal cooperation. An additional mechanism would only complicate the process of accountability. Resorting to boards and informal mechanisms would be a step backwards,” Tahiri said.