Foreword I would like to welcome you to this compilation of photographs and text covering the work of the European Union Rule of Law Mission, EULEX Kosovo, between 2010 and 2012. It was a fascinating and challenging period to be Head of the largest civilian mission ever deployed by the EU, at its largest, amounting to some three thousand staff members. The book encapsulates the ups and downs, the successes and failures, the real advances and some of the obstacles faced by the mission in one of the most complex political environments in Europe. I would like to thank my EULEX staff who gave me their support and professionalism for the duration of my office. I would also like to thank my colleagues in Brussels and EU Member States, the US Embassy in Pristina, and my counterparts in Kosovo and neighbouring countries. Most of all, I would like to thank the people of Kosovo for their support, patience and determination to take their society forward and to embrace their European future. The young people of Kosovo especially deserve this. Emerging from conflict, and building a society based on the rule of law, is no easy process. But that process is very much underway and Kosovo is heading in the right direction. I wish Kosovo and it’s people all the best on their road ahead.
Xavier de Marnhac
Introduction The period 2010-2012 in Kosovo was characterized by ever present political crisis. Instability threatened, violent incidents occurred and the north of Kosovo remained an unsolved and apparently intractable issue. To this background, the European Union Rule of Law Mission, EULEX Kosovo, headed by Xavier de Marnhac, sought to navigate a way through competing political agendas and constant pressures, threatening to boil over. Controversial war crimes cases, disputed elections, arrests and indictments against senior politicians and officials, allegations of trafficking in human organs, barricades in the north, border and boundary crossings attacked and burnt down, sporadic inter-ethnic incidents and the tragic deaths of women and children being smuggled into the EU from Kosovo through Serbia; were just some of the issues faced by EULEX. An EU civilian crisis mission had never before been deployed on such a scale, and with such powers. With a complex administrative bureaucracy governing every action by the mission, matters were made significantly more complex. It was a steep learning curve for everyone. The mission adapted to changing circumstances on the ground and became a key player in supporting the wider EU agenda, especially related to the PristinaBelgrade Dialogue. The mission also played a key role in bringing the EU family in Kosovo closer together. Despite the challenging environment and, some would say, against the odds, EULEX carried out its mandate. Praise, criticism and controversy accompanied the mission along the way. There were successes and there were failures. Kosovo itself took its first tentative steps towards further EU integration and, by the time the period was over, Kosovo’s EU future had become a distinctive and achievable objective on the horizon. The following pages mark the journey that EULEX and Kosovo took together.
Nick Hawton
Head of EULEX Press and Public Information Office
Photo: Driton Paqarada
October 2010 The Head of the EULEX Mission, Xavier De Marnhac, entered office and began work.
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Reporting to Member States on his initial meetings with EULEX staff, De Marnhac said “I clearly spelt out my intention to be a team builder and to work towards a greater synchronisation of thought and action between all units. There is a need, in my view, to streamline information flow and to improve cross component collaboration, not only to utilise more fully the collective intelligence of EULEX, but also to be able to speak with one voice when addressing our external partners. I also emphasised that for the confidence I have entrusted in all Mission members, loyalty was a basic principle I expected in return.” Immediate situation in Kosovo faced by the new Head of Mission: no Minister of Justice, elections imminent, no major cases at trial stage, minimal presence north of the river Ibar/Ibër. In his initial Statement of Intent, the Head of Mission outlined the mission’s priorities: To increase the mission’s ‘footprint’ in the north by normalising EULEX’s activities through increasing visibility and presence on a 24/7 basis to reinforce the promotion of the rule of law. To maintain and strengthen the momentum in the fight against organised crime and corruption. To increase monitoring mentoring and advising activities in the fields of police, justice and customs with a focus on preparing for transition. On 15 October 2010, there were 1606 international staff and 1168 local staff deployed.
One measure of the mission’s ‘footprint’ in the north was the number of EULEX staff living north of the river Ibar/Ibër. When the new Head of Mission arrived, there was only a handful of people living in the north.
The security at the enthronement of the new Serbian Orthodox Patriarch in Peć/PejÍ on 3 October was ensured by the Kosovo Police (KP). EULEX supported the KP in preparations and were on standby during the event itself.
December 2010 Extraordinary Kosovo Parliamentary elections took place on 12 December 2010.
A report by Council of Europe Rapporteur, Dick Marty, on trafficking in human organs during the Kosovo conflict of 1998-1999 made political waves in Kosovo on 16 December.
February 2011
At the inaugural session of the Kosovo Assembly on 21-22 February, the leader of the Alliance for a New Kosovo, Beghjet Pacolli, was elected President by Assembly members of the government coalition, while most opposition deputies walked out. Questions over the legality of the vote led to it being overturned and declared unconstitutional in April 2011, triggering a new political crisis. This was resolved later in the month by the appointment of consensus candidate, Atifete Jahjaga, a former Kosovo Police Deputy Director General.
On 8 March a technical dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina began in Brussels. The Dialogue addressed such issues as licence plates, crossing point management and the Kosovo Civil Registry.
On 16 March, under the orders of a EULEX pre-trial judge, nine people, including a KP Regional Commander and a Kosovo Albanian extradited from Switzerland, were arrested on suspicion of committing war crimes against the civilian population and against prisoners of war during the conflict in 1999. A tenth suspect, Fatmir Limaj, a former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander, former Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, MP and PDK Deputy Chair, was not placed under arrest because of the possible immunity to arrest he may have had as an MP. The arrest operations triggered protests from KLA veterans, Pristina University students and other organisations. As a member of the Assembly, Limaj did not enjoy immunity from prosecution for the alleged crimes committed, but the issue of his immunity from arrest continued to remain unclear.
On 18 April 2011, the Joint Rule of Law Coordination Board (JRCB) met for the first time since the establishment of the new government in March. The JRCB is a forum for EU actors and the Kosovo government to set joint priorities and discuss issues in the Kosovo rule of law sector. The meeting was particularly significant as representatives of the Commission were present for the first time. EULEX had led the initiative to include them in the JRCB’s terms of reference to reflect the importance of organising priorities and deliverables according to the annual EC Progress Report for Kosovo.
Borko Stefanović, chief negotiator of Belgrade’s delegation for the Dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, arrived in Pristina on 12 May under heavy security. Supporters of the self-determination movement Vetëvendosja, reacted to the visit by blocking the government building, and throwing stones at buildings and at Stefanovic’s escort.
In April, a panel of local and EULEX judges found the Mayor of Kaçanik/Kačanik Municipality guilty of the offence of extortion and unlawful possession of weapons. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment and given a 1,500 Euro fine for the charge of unlawful possession of weapons.
Photo: Berat Murina
On 1 June, the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo (PIK) began its new task of investigating criminal offences and human rights violations committed by Kosovo Police employees, regardless of rank and position while on duty or off duty. EULEX monitored and advised in the set-up of the PIK and continues to advise the PIK.
June 2011
On 24 May, eight individuals convicted for corruption
On 22 June, EULEX forensic experts from the Department of Forensic Medicine (DFM) exhumed the remains of five people from an unmarked site in the cemetery in GjakovĂŤ/Ä?akovica. The individuals were suspected of being victims from the Kosovo conflict.
On 17 June, a mixed panel of Kosovo and EULEX judges of the District Court in Pristina issued the verdict in the so-called Tisza River case against defendants charged with organised crime and smuggling of migrants. The Tisza River trial began in February 2011. Eight defendants were accused of causing the deaths of 15 Kosovo Albanians as part of a botched attempt to cross the border between Serbia and Hungary in October 2009.
On 2 July, the first three agreements in the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue were reached on the freedom of movement (and vehicles licence plates), civil registry and university diplomas.
July 2011 In July, the Head of Mission, in a joint press conference with PM Thaci said that the mission “respects the constitution and laws of Kosovo”. EULEX’s footprint in the north was getting bigger. There was also a slow and steady build-up in EULEX’s favourability amongst the northern Kosovo Serb community from 9% when the Head of Mission arrived to 31% in July 2011, according to polls. This steady increase was about to come to an end.
However, despite this positive step forward, a critical agreement was not settled on the issue of Belgrade recognising Kosovo’s custom’s stamp. Consequently, on 20 July, the government of Kosovo decided to impose customs reciprocity measures on Serbia (and Bosnia-Herzegovina). The measures banned the import of goods with Serbian customs stamps while levying a 10% tax on goods imported from Bosnia.
On 25th of July, the Kosovo government attempted to send Regional Operational Support Units (special police units) to the northern crossing points (Gate 1 and 31) to enforce the customs reciprocity measures. As a special unit returned through the north of Kosovo it became embroiled in a fire fight and one of the police officers, Enver Zymberi, was shot dead.
On 27 July, a mob of Kosovo Serbs overran and burned down Gate 1, further inflaming the situation and prompting KFOR to take military control of the gates. KFOR continued to control the gates, partially opening them to civilian traffic, and negotiated an agreement on the clearance of roadblocks in the north and the freedom of movement of private vehicles and humanitarian goods through the border/boundary crossings. EULEX kept a strong police presence at the gates and conducted increased patrols in the north, whilst at the same time pushing forward criminal investigations related to the violent incidents. Photo: Sava Radovanović
Photo: Maša Stojsavljević
On 29 July, a panel of EULEX and local judges from Mitrovica District Court issued a verdict finding the defendants guilty of war crimes and handing prison sentences to Sabit Geci (15 years), Riza Alija (12 years), Haki Hajdari (6 years) and Shaban Hoti (7 years).
On 29 August 2011, John Clint Williamson from the United States was appointed Lead Prosecutor for the EULEX Special Investigative Task Force (SITF). SITF would further the investigation into the allegations contained in the Council of Europe Report of December 2010 by Senator Dick Marty.
On 2 September a new round of the Dialogue started and agreements were reached on the custom’s stamp and cadastral issues. Despite Dialogue agreements on mutual recognition of customs stamps and the resumption of trade on 2 September, EULEX was confronted with renewed opposition from local leaders in the north, rejecting the presence of KP and Kosovo Customs (KC) at the Gates.
Photo: Saša Djordjević
In mid-September, KFOR officially returned control of the Gates to EULEX, but barricades erected by local communities on all major roads and points of entry to the north prevented EULEX and KFOR from reaching the Gates by land, and forced EULEX to transport personnel and supplies to the Gates via helicopter. KFOR undertook several efforts to remove barricades and restore free, permanent and unconditional access. Most attempts led to strong and, at times, very violent reactions by the local population and further reinforcement of the roadblocks.
On 19 September, the Head of Mission visited Gates 1 and 31.
The so-called Medicus trial involving allegations of human organ trafficking began on 4 October, with several protected witnesses beginning their testimony before a panel of local and EULEX judges at the Pristina District Court (DC). The case was prosecuted by a EULEX Prosecutor.
On 27 September, violence broke out close to Gate 1 involving local Serbs and KFOR. Eleven people were injured. The Head of Mission, visited Tirana on 4-5 October 2011. The visit was at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Albania. He signed a Technical Arrangement on police cooperation with the Albanian Interior Minister.
EULEX undertook a major Kosovo-wide search and arrest operation at the beginning of October. The case concerned an investigation into alleged corruption and procurement fraud within the KP. During the operation employees of the KP Administration and Ministry of Internal Affairs were arrested.
On 17 October 2011 Clint Williamson assumed his position as Lead Prosecutor of the Special Investigative Task Force (SITF)
Archive Photo
On 19 October the heads of Serbian municipalities in the north jointly refused to further implement any agreements that Belgrade reached in the Dialogue with Pristina. Moreover, they refused to cooperate with EULEX and insisted on UNMIK’s re-deployment. The barricades remained.
On 27 October barricades were partially removed. Kosovo Serbs allowed KFOR but not EULEX to pass through the barricades
Photo: Igor PaviÄ?ević
In November, a mixed panel of one local and two EULEX judges at Pristina District Court found a former President of the Assembly of Kosovo and his advisors guilty of Misappropriation in Office, Assisting in the Abuse of an Official Position and Inciting of Falsification of Official Documents. They all received prison sentences, though the sentences would not be executed if they did not commit another criminal offence for a two-year period.
Photo: Sava Radovanović
On 23 November, a mixed panel of EULEX judges and a Kosovo judge rendered a verdict in the so-called Bllaca case against Fahredin Gashi et al, finding the defendant guilty of war crimes and sentencing him to 18 years in prison. Hysri Rama, the other defendant in the case, received a suspended sentence of 6 months in prison for assisting the perpetrator in a politically-motivated murder in 1999. The trial was the first based on statements by the cooperative witness Nazim Bllaca, who made a video confession in November 2009, giving details on more than 20 alleged politically motivated killings taking place from 1999-2003, many allegedly taking place under orders from the Kosovo Information Service (SHIK) which served the KLA until the end of the Kosovo conflict but was officially disbanded in 2008. The case was led by a EULEX prosecutor from Kosovo’s Special Prosecution Office.
On 29 November President Boris Tadic called on Kosovo Serbs to remove barricades
On 2 December the Agreed Conclusions on Integrated Border Management (IBM) were reached in the Dialogue.
A significant milestone in the implementation of the agreement on civil registry books was made on 6 December, when EULEX certified the first copy of the civil registry books (from originals stored in Serbia proper). The certified copy was handed over to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Edita Tahiri on 20 December by the Deputy Head of Mission, Andy Sparkes.
In January, EC Commissioner Malmstrรถm launched a visa liberalization dialogue with Kosovo.
January 2012
Following joint investigative work by EULEX and Kosovo Police, EULEX police on 26 January carried out the arrest of an individual wanted in connection with the killing of the Kosovo Police officer, Enver Zymberi, on 26 July 2011. The arrest took place in Çabra/ÄŒabra village in northern Kosovo. The investigation into the killing of Enver Zymberi was carried out jointly by EULEX and Kosovo Police and prosecutors.
Archive Photo
On 18 February, the Department of Forensic Medicine documentary made by EULEX’s Press Office was aired on Kosovo TV.
On 24 February Pristina and Belgrade agreed, in the framework of the EU-facilitated Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, on a technical protocol to implement the Integrated Management of Crossing Points Agreement reached on 2 December 2011. In February, EULEX launched a Kosovo-wide TV campaign that explained to the general public how the justice system worked. One-minute episodes were broadcast at peak hours across Kosovo and repeated four times a day. The campaign aimed at raising awareness amongst the general public of their rights and obligations and how the judicial process operated.
On 7 March, the EU Civilian Operations Commander, Hansjoerg Haber, visited the Mission.
On 23 February, the Head of Mission finished a two day visit to Belgrade where he met the President of Serbia, Boris Tadic.
In March, EC Commissioner FĂźle attended the inaugural meeting of the Kosovo National Council for European Integration, where he announced the official start of the Feasibility Study for a Stabilization and Association Agreement.
In March, EULEX began a massive outreach campaign in schools and Universities throughout Kosovo
European Union Office in Kosovo
On 26 March, EULEX reopened Gate 1 for commercial traffic after refurbishment.
On 2 May, more than one-hundred people attended the finale of the EULEX Kosovo photographic competition. Thirty photographs made it to the exhibition ‘Lens on the Law – the right and the wrong’, held in the National Library in Pristina from 2 till 9 May. The exhibition was also held on 31 May in Brussels at the European Parliament.
The EULEX Head of Mission awarded one-thousand euros and a trip to Brussels to the winner of the competition, Berat Murina, 24, from Kamenica.
In the north, a number of violent incidents took place, the most serious one being the explosion in the Three Towers area of north Mitrovicë/a on 8 April, which killed a Kosovo Albanian male. The case was under a joint EULEX-KP investigation, and although the motivation remained unclear, the incident triggered strong reactions and was followed by a spate of incidents in which Kosovo Serbs were targeted, notably two shootings in Zvečan/Zveçan and Zubin Potok on 13 April and 15 April, respectively. KP investiged the incidents with support from EULEX. EULEX and KFOR increased their presence in mixed community areas, in particular through joint KP-EULEX patrols in north Mitrovica, in an attempt to improve the security situation through increased visibility.
On 4 May, EULEX donated vehicles to the Ministry of Internal Affairs
On 17 April, Kosovo Police, EULEX and KFOR signed an agreement for the security handover of the Dević Monastery in Skenderaj/Srbica to KP. On 2 May, a mixed panel of one local and two EULEX judges at Pristina District Court acquitted Fatmir Limaj, Naser Krasniqi, Nexhmi Krasniqi and Naser Shala of all charges of war crimes in the so-called Kleçka case. Earlier, six other defendants were also cleared of all charges. A EULEX prosecutor from Kosovo’s Special Prosecution Office (SPRK) announced that he was appealing the rulings. On 3 May, a mixed panel of one local and two EULEX judges at Peja/Peć District Court found the defendants Bedri Krasniqi, et al guilty of organised crime and kidnapping. The sentences ranged from 10 to 17 years of imprisonment.
On 14 June, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia MalmstrĂśm handed over the roadmap for visa liberalisation to the Kosovo authorities.
On 29 May, EULEX police arrested six people in a major investigation into organised crime. The case was being investigated by a EULEX prosecutor from Kosovo’s Special Prosecution Office. On 31 May, a EULEX pre-trial judge ordered detention on remand for three of the suspects. The three others were given house arrest. In line with the agreement on civil registry books and following the completion of a small scale pilot project launched in Lipjan/Lipljan on 10 May, a Belgrade representative handed over 52 certified copies of the original civil status birth registry books to EULEX and on 1 June the acting Head of Mission, Andy Sparkes, handed them over to the Civil Registry Agency of Kosovo. On 15 June, the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) was handed over to the locally headed Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). In line with the new OPLAN, the Mission moved into a new structure on 15 June following a massive reconfiguration of the Mission structure and staffing. The three Mission components were transformed into a structure consisting of an Executive Division and a Strengthening Division. The Mission downsized by about 25% to a total of around 2,250 staff members. Most regional offices were closed and mobile teams were deployed in their stead to travel to the regions from Pristina. The reconfiguration and downsize of the Mission was a clear sign of the progress of the Kosovo authorities and the success of the Mis-
In the media, however, the event was overshadowed by the death of the Director of the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo, who, according to the initial autopsy, stabbed himself to death.
A TV information campaign produced and sponsored by EULEX in support of the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo (PIK) went on air. It explained that members of the public did not have to accept police misbehavior but could complain to the PIK to seek redress.
July 2012
EULEX prosecutors filed a number of high-profile indictments, including against the Deputy Prime Minister, Bujar Bukoshi, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Astrit Haraqia, the permanent secretary of the Health Ministry, Ilir Tolaj and nine other officials of the Ministry of Health. In addition, eight former judges were indicted on corruption charges. On 6 July, EULEX released a report entitled EULEX 2.0: Rule of Law beyond the Headlines. The report takes stock of the work done by EULEX and Kosovo counterparts since the launch of the Mission in 2008. On 5, 6 and 11 July, EULEX handed over the remains of nine individuals to representatives of the Serbian Government Commission for Missing Persons. EULEX organised a first meeting between Task Force Mitrovica and Kosovo Serb NGOs in the north.
August 2012
September 2012
Throughout August, Kosovo as dominated by preparations for the end of supervised independence, as planned for 10 September. On 29 August, a panel of three EULEX judges at Mitrovica District Court sentenced Sylajman Hasani to 13 years imprisonment for murder. Hasani was charged with the murder of Besir Sheremeti in August 1997 in Mitrovica. He was tried in absentia in 1998 by what was then the District Court of Kosovska Mitrovica. After a request for protection of legality by the defence counsel, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial.
On 7 September, the Assembly of Kosovo voted to confirm Kosovo’s continued commitment to co-operating with EULEX as expressed by the Kosovo President in her 4 September invitation letter to the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President (HR/VP) Catherine Ashton. During the same session, the Assembly also approved 22 constitutional amendments - the final requirement for the decision by the “International Steering Group” to “end supervised independence” on 10 September. After the invitation letter’s adoption, the mission resumed preparations for a Joint Rule of Law Co-ordination Board meeting, which eventually brought the signing of the so-called ‘Compact’.
EULEX TV presence continued in three formats: the series ‘Justice in One Minute’, an Anti-corruption campaign, and the promotion of the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo. All of these spots were produced in-house.
On 20 September, a mixed panel at Mitrovica District Court (DC) relocated to Pristina sentenced Jevro Pantelić to nine years imprisonment for money laundering and organised crime. On 28 September 2012, EULEX Police officers arrested Enver Sekiraqa. Mr Sekiraqa was wanted on a warrant issued in February 2008 in relation to his alleged involvement in the murder of the police officer Triumf Riza. Mr Sekiraqa also had to finish serving a sentence of two years of imprisonment for other crimes. Mr Seqiraqa voluntarily surrendered to a EULEX Special Prosecutor from Kosovo’s Special Prosecution Office and police officers from EULEX’s Organised Crime Investigation Unit. The arrest took place in Pristina.
On 10 October, the European Commission (EC) published its Enlargement Package 2012, which included the Feasibility Study for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Kosovo. On 11 October, the draft Law on Extended Powers of Confiscation of Assets Acquired by Criminal Offence, an EC FS benchmark, was passed at the first reading in the Assembly after lengthy discussions at the ministerial level with the participation of EULEX legal experts over the previous months.
On 15 October, EULEX launched the first in a series of campaigns which aimed to highlight the four operational objectives of the Mission. The first of these campaigns focused on raising awareness about EULEX’s role in strengthening local rule of law institutions.
On 19 October, a mixed panel of one EULEX and two local judges at Pristina District Court found Kolё Puka (a former judge) guilty of issuing unlawful judicial decisions, abusing official position or authority, money laundering and fraud. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and prohibited from holding public office or practising law for 3 years after serving the sentence.
On 19 October, a historic meeting between Prime Ministers Hashim Thaçi and Ivica Dačić took place in Brussels. It officially resumed the Pristina-Belgrade Dialogue process.
On 24 October, EULEX police arrested one individual at Gate 1 in northern Kosovo after using the Border Management System (BMS). The individual was wanted by Pristina Municipal Court on a warrant related to an attempted rape case. On 28 October, a second individual was arrested on the basis of information obtained through the BMS during the reporting period. The suspect had a pending arrest warrant against him in connection to a grand theft auto case in 2000.
On 30 October, the HR/VP Catherine Ashton arrived in Kosovo, along side the US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. On 31 October they held meetings with President Jahjaga, PM Thaçi and other political leaders. After Mrs Ashton and Mrs Clinton’s meeting with Mr Thaçi, Mrs Ashton emphasised Kosovo’s European future at a common press point. She noted that the road ahead for Kosovo would not be easy.
On 16 November 2012, a EULEX special prosecutor from the Special Prosecution Office of Kosovo (SPRK) filed an indictment against Fatmir Limaj and six other co-suspects for organised crime and corruption related offences in the so-called Ministry of Transport and Post Telecommunication (MTPT) case. The defendants were accused, among other things, of manipulating tender procedures, giving and receiving bribes and obstructing evidence in relation to three tenders in the MTPT for personal and/or material benefit.
Meanwhile in the so-called Klecka case, a mixed panel of EULEX judges and local judges at the Supreme Court, ordered a retrial against Fatmir Limaj and three other co-defendants on 20 November 2012. The Supreme Court panel partially granted the appeal of the EULEX Special Prosecutor and annulled the verdict of the first instance court which had acquitted the co-defendants.
On 10 December, at Rudnica–Jainjë (near Gate 1) and at Gate 3 (Merdarë–Merdare), both crossing points began functioning in line with the agreement on integrated management and with EULEX present at both locations. Operations were successfully started at at Rudnica–Jainjë in the morning hours whereas Gate 3 was officially opened around noon. EULEX provided technical and logistical support, including the installation of containers and equipment. The new teams of Serbian and Kosovo Officers/EULEX Officers began working jointly. Kosovo Police and Kosovo Customs took an active role in checking vehicles and documents.
At Gate 3, seven Serbian Police Officers and six Serbian Customs Officers were matched by seven Kosovo Police Officers and four Kosovo Customs Officers. The EULEX presence consisted of two officers working in a monitoring, mentoring and advising capacity.
On 28 December 2012, Baki Sadiki, a fugitive wanted by Slovakia, for his alleged role in large scale drugs trafficking, was extradited from Kosovo to the Slovakia. At the request of the Slovak authorities and in agreement with the Kosovo authorities, EULEX provided assistance to the extradition process.
On 31 December, Končulj – Dheu i Bardhë (near Gate 5) and Gate 31 (Bërnjak –Tabalije) began functioning in line with the agreement on integrated management of Crossing Points and with EULEX present at both locations.
On 17 January 2013 the fourth meeting was held in the framework of the EU-facilitated high–level dialogue for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina . Provisional understanding on the collection of customs duties, levies and VAT was reached.
Bernd Borchardt was appointed new Head of Mission for EULEX on 4 December 2012 and started work on 1 February 2013.
Written by James Nicholls Editing and Photography by Enisa Rashlanin Kasemi Layout by Faton Hasani Produced by EULEX Press and Public Information Office Printed by ASHA Graphics