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 | Yves de Kermabon (FoNet, archive)
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EULEX Chief Yves de Kermabon says that the situation in northern Kosovo is peaceful and that the situation has “improved noticeably” in the region.
De Kermabon visited the administrative crossing in Jarinje and the police station and District Court in northern Kosovska Mitrovica.
“It is important that the situation is peaceful and, under these conditions, we can move ahead,” the EULEX chief told reporters, adding that the mission would open an “EU house” in northern Kosovo, where Serbs make up the majority population.
He said that EULEX was looking for a good location for the house, and that it would probably be opened close to the court in a matter of weeks.
He said that EULEX’s priority was to get the courts working in northern Kosovo.
“Our court is working in much better conditions than it did in the beginning, There are several cases being chaired by our judges and prosecutors, but the next step is for Kosovo Albanians and Serbs to be brought into the court, as judges and prosecutors, and to work together,” the EULEX chief explained.
“People are waiting too long on cases and we cannot allow them to wait any longer. We have to convince Priština and Belgrade to allow judges and prosecutors to come here and do their jobs. That is our number one priority,” de Kermabon said.
Asked whether a regular customs crossing would be established between northern Kosovo and central Serbia, he said that this was also a very important question for EULEX.
“We have good control of all checkpoints, and we are sending information to our colleagues in Serbia in order to have better control of crossings 1 and 21 (Jarinje and Brnjak). All of this has helped cut smuggling and increase financial interest for both sides,” he said.
De Kermabon said that EULEX’s goal was to establish full customs control, but that this required an agreement to be reached between Belgrade and Priština.
He reiterated that the security situation in Kosovo was good currently.
“We are witnesses to an increased number of returnees, which is a good sign, and we must continue to work on this,” the EULEX chief said. |
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