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+--- Thread: U.S., Allies: Corruption Probes "Destabilizing Kosovo" (/thread-3914.html)
U.S., Allies: Corruption Probes "Destabilizing Kosovo" - Magda Hassan - 05-06-2010
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=06&dd=04&nav_id=67584
Beta News Agency
June 4, 2010
EULEX chief on “pressure over probes”
BRUSSELS: EULEX chief Yves de Kermabon said Brussels on Thursday that “nobody in Kosovo could be above the law”.
Beta news agency reports that he thus “dismissed objections from the U.S. and some other Western governments that investigations into the alleged corruption of certain members of the Pristina government were destabilizing Kosovo”.
This was Kermabon's response when asked by European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo Ulrike Lunacek, at the European Parliament's Subcommittee for Security and Defense, how he viewed comments from the U.S. and other Western countries that continuing EULEX investigations would impact the stability of Kosovo.
The head of EULEX also told journalists that he was not interested in commenting on statements by Kosovo Albanian Premier Hashim Thaci that the probe into Kosovo Transport Minister Fatmir Limaj and some other ministers had been conducted in an "uncivilized manner".
Kermabon replied that, according to his knowledge, whenever they met, Thaci had voiced support to EULEX and sought that more be done and that he be personally involved, as well as the Kosovo justice system, in the fight against organized crime and corruption.
Kermabon further stated that the role of EULEX in Kosovo was to ensure justice without interference, adding that he had no regard for any pressure.
The head of the European mission also stressed that he did not believe the investigations into Pristina government members were undermining Kosovo's stability.
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http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Politics/?id=3.1.493741290
ADN Kronos International (Italy)
June 4, 2010
Kosovo: PM asked to sack ministers accused of corruption
Pristina: The European Union mission in Kosovo (EULEX) is pressing prime minister Hasim Thaci to dismiss three ministers suspected of corruption, local media reported on Friday. “It has been recommended to premier Thaci to continue government reform and for the start demands resignation or sacks three ministers being investigated for corruption,” Pristina daily Zeri said.
EULEX recently searched the transport and communications ministry. It is investigating the minister Fatmir Limaj, who is suspected of defrauding the budget for several million euros.
Limaj is a member of Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (DPK) and has refused to resign.
Two other ministers, one from DPK and another from president Fatmir Sejdiu’s Democratic Alliance of Kosovo, are also being investigated, the newspaper said.
EULEX was deployed in Kosovo in 2008, after ethnic Albanians declared independence from Serbia.
It recently said that it was carrying out about 100 investigations, including several involving six senior government officials.
EULEX chief Ives de Kermabon told the European Parliament on Thursday that he was under pressure from the United States and several western countries to soft pedal investigations because they might endanger Kosovo stability.
But Kermabon said he was paying no attention to such pressure because “no one in Kosovo can be above the law”. The rule of law could only strengthen the stability, he added.