Europe: Failure To Curb Organised Crime In Kosovo Muddies EU Image

Πηγή: eGov monitor
Jan 26 2012

The fact that the European Union’s largest police mission to Kosovo has failed to collar any leading suspects on organised crime even after four years has prompted people to question its efficacy as well as the dependability of Kosovo's leaders.

However, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) is basking in its own achievements and claims the training it imparted to the Kosovo police and customs has been highly successful. Following its review by the EU in a few weeks time, EULEX intends trimming personnel to allow local officers get engaged in various other mundane daily activities.

Pristina-based EULEX spokesman Nicholas Hawton recounted how the mission has accomplished "clear results" in pursuing criminals amid the region’s war-torn and politically complicated environment. The representative informed that EULEX at present is probing into 350 incidences of criminal activities, with the mission’s judges already pronouncing as many as 220 verdicts. Of them, 15 judgments have been on organised crime and 20 others on war crimes, explained Hawton.

One such investigation involves the accusation that Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci is involved in operating an organ trafficking gang, said the spokesman. Regarding the murder in 2011 of Kosovar Albanian policeman Enver Zymberi by a Serb sniper, a probe initiated by EULEX has resulted in Interpol issuing six arrest warrants, Hawthon went on to say.

Meanwhile, the EU foreign affairs committee on Tuesday approved a draft European Parliament report and has called on EULEX to "increase its efforts" in north Kosovo’s Kosovar Serb enclave as well as to increase its efforts against organised crime. However, the mission reacted by putting the blame squarely on EU member nations for the hiccups. It said the countries hesitate to dispatch their best judges to the war torn region. The mission also bluntly told France, Italy and Romania to “reconsider” withdrawing the Formed Police Units, or riot control specialists, which are associated with EULEX.

"They should have been quicker. It would have helped the way they are seen in the country to already have indictments on high level corruption cases," was the sharp response of Austria’s Green MEP Ulrike Lunacek, the draft report’s author. But the most contemptuous reaction came from Italian Socialist Pino Arlacchi, who has been credited with playing a key role in creating Italy's Direzione Investigativa Antimafia (DIA).

He pointed out that the annual budget of EULEX is €150 million, which can be equated with what is allocated to the DIA. However, the latter has successfully picked up many mafia bosses in Italy, noted Arlacchi. He said this is in spite of the country being home to 60 million people and with one of the worst organised crime problems globally.