Montenegrin police in March this year arrested a Serb Zoran Vukotić (46) suspected of committing war crimes against civilians in Kosovo.
Vukotic was extradited to Kosovo on Thursday after exactly 8 months of detention in Montenegro. The case was taken over by the Mission of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo - EULEX.
During my term in the office of the Special Prosecutor, I will be guided by the facts and the law, I'll do my job without fear or bias, said in Pristina, the Special Prosecutor for War Crimes in Kosovo, David Schwendiman.
Schwendiman will visit Belgrade in the coming days.
The autopsy of the Vetevendosje activist, Astrit Dehari, who died on Saturday whilst in the Prizren detention centre, will be carried out today and EULEX experts as well as those appointed by the deceased’s family will take part. Justice Minister, Dhurata Hoxha, said the process will be transparent and that the Inspectorate of the Kosovo’s Correctional Service is also engaged in looking into circumstances of Dehari’s death. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa expressed his condolences on the death of Vetevendosje activist calling for independent investigations.
Kallxo.com reports that an EULEX judge from the Kosovo’s Supreme Court Special Chamber has claimed that the law on Trepca mining complex is unconstitutional for two reasons, both relating to the fundamental right to property. The judge has addressed the Constitutional Court asking it to once again review the legality of the Trepca Law and annul it. The judge maintained that the economic goal of the Trepca Law was to take over the assets from the socially-owned enterprise to the newly-created shareholders association but the latter takes over no obligations.
Today, the Commander of the EU’s Civilian Operations, Kenneth Deane, together with the EULEX chief Alexandra Papadopoulou met Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi.
They discussed the current mandate of EULEX and its continuous engagements for the rule of law in Kosovo.
Kosovo security bodies do not possess any list of the suspected individuals for crimes committed in Kosovo during the war period, 1998-1999.
Indeksonline reports that such list of soldiers or armed individuals identified that they participated in commitment of serious crimes such as massacres, slaughter of civilian population, rape of women, are only possessed by the European Mission of the Rule of Law, EULEX which has their prosecution for “target.”
The EU rule of law mission (EULEX) has offered a reward of €82,000 for information regarding the killing of one of its customs officers in the northern part of Kosovo in 2013. Audrius Senavicius, from Lithuania, was shot dead on 19 September 2013 when a EULEX vehicle he was travelling in came under fire near Zveçan/Zvečan. Deputy head of EULEX, Bernd Thran, said in a press conference today in Mitrovica North that a team of international investigators have worked relentlessly to find the killer but that they need the help of the local community to make progress.
Based on the request of the EULEX prosecutor, the EULEX judge issued today an arrest warrant for Azem Syla, with the justification of alleged attempt to influence one of the protected witnesses.
The order of the Basic Court notes that after Azem Syla’s release from the detention, someone else and not Mr. Syla contacted the protected witness.
The police directors of Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and FYROM have participated at the regional conference in Skopje. The conference was organized in order to strengthen cooperation between the police of the Western Balkans and coordinate further action in relation to terrorism and organized crime in the Balkans, stated the EU mission in Kosovo.
Lawyers Vasić and Korenica were accused to have influenced the witnesses, and hampered the evidence as the defenders of Zarko Veselinovic, who has been charged with attempted aggravated murder of two members of the special unit "ROSU".
The prosecutor has dropped the case after a testimony of five witnesses before the judge.