The new head of EULEX, Gabriele Meucci started the first visit to Belgrade yesterday, since the entry into the office, with a meeting with the Head Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric.

The press release of EULEX stated that Meucci and Djuric talked about the new mandate of the EU mission, with special emphasis on the north of Kosovo. This press release reported that the new head of the mission said that "EULEX is committed to strengthening the rule of law in northern Kosovo."

During his two-day visit, Meucci would talk with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, the Ministers of Justice and Internal Affairs Nikola Selakovic and Nebojsa Stefanovic.

It was not possible to determine, on the eve of yesterday's meeting, what would be all discussed at the meeting between Djuric and Meucci, apart from "all the outstanding issues".

Meucci has been Head of EULEX from October 15, before the scandal of corruption in this mission. Although the media speculated that the controversial cases of corruption, selling of Serbian property and Drenica group trial, in the Government of Serbia yesterday was not possible to confirm whether the scandals in EULEX would be one of the topics of the meeting Djuric - Meucci, although this mission had been deployed to Kosovo by the consent of the official Belgrade.

The official Belgrade had not reacted publicly on Brussels extending EULEX mandate for several years, as officially "status-neutral mission" and that refers to Resolution 1244, only on the basis of an exchange of letters between the president of Kosovo and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and security. The EULEX’s mandate had been extended for two years last time in June this year, with the goal to "accelerate the transfer of its activities to the Kosovo institutions and other actors of the EU."

The previous day in the northern part of Mitrovica, Serbs had held a protest requesting for their compatriots, who were arrested, release on bail.

Speculation

It was not confirmed, before the meeting Djuric-Meucci, nor had been said whether topics would be discussed such as the issue of imprisoned Serbs suspected of serious crimes, including war crimes, for whom release on bail had not been approved by EULEX despite received assurances from the Government Serbia.