New EULEX chief in visit to north

EULEX Head Xavier Bout de Marnhac stated on Friday that it was very important for the ethnic Albanians and Serbs to talk with each other. He also said that it was important for the representatives of the international community in Kosovo to talk with both sides. New EULEX chief in visit to north He stressed that EULEX mission was interested in assisting when it came to the future dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, but added that the dialogue itself was not part of EULEX's mandate. Upon his first visit to the northern part of the ethnically divided Kosovska Mitrovica which is mainly populated with Serbs, De Marnhac pointed out that he intended to increase the presence of EULEX in the entire Kosovo, including the north, as well as the commitment to the fight against organized crime and trafficking on both sides of the Ibar River. I am certain that the two sides are connected. No one in Kosovo can expect the improvement of the economic situation and more jobs without a good framework of the rule of law, and EULEX is committed to strengthening that framework, he said. Slowly but surely, by talking with all sides, EULEX will increase its presence and activities in the entire Kosovo, including the north, De Marnhac stated. When asked when local judges and prosecutors in the court in northern Kosovska Mitrovica can be expected to begin working, De Marnhac pointed out that this issue was related to the political environment, which was not a part of EULEX's mandate. Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic said after today’s meeting with the EULEX chief in Kosovska Mitrovica said that it was in the best interest of Serbs to have good cooperation with EULEX but added that the EU mission should be status neutral. “It’s very important that EULEX sticks to status neutral position in its actions and to have an equal approach to criminals in the north and criminals in the south. Multiethnic crime is something that’s very present and crime cannot be carried out if there’s no this multiethnic component,” he explained. According to Ivanovic, combat against crime will be one of the first priorities of EULEX. “We are not especially pleased with the level of security in the north, but the north is not the only problem. There is much more crime in Pristina and in other parts of Kosovo and Metohija. It’s important for EULEX to focus on crime in a well-balanced approach and I’m sure that they will in that sense have good cooperation with political structures, but also with police stations in northern Kosovo,” the state secretary concluded. Xavier Bout de Marnhac (Beta, file)

New EULEX chief in visit to north

He stressed that EULEX mission was interested in assisting when it came to the future dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, but added that the dialogue itself was not part of EULEX's mandate.

Upon his first visit to the northern part of the ethnically divided Kosovska Mitrovica which is mainly populated with Serbs, De Marnhac pointed out that he intended to increase the presence of EULEX in the entire Kosovo, including the north, as well as the commitment to the fight against organized crime and trafficking on both sides of the Ibar River.

I am certain that the two sides are connected. No one in Kosovo can expect the improvement of the economic situation and more jobs without a good framework of the rule of law, and EULEX is committed to strengthening that framework, he said.

Slowly but surely, by talking with all sides, EULEX will increase its presence and activities in the entire Kosovo, including the north, De Marnhac stated.

When asked when local judges and prosecutors in the court in northern Kosovska Mitrovica can be expected to begin working, De Marnhac pointed out that this issue was related to the political environment, which was not a part of EULEX's mandate.

Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanović said after today’s meeting with the EULEX chief in Kosovska Mitrovica said that it was in the best interest of Serbs to have good cooperation with EULEX but added that the EU mission should be status neutral.

“It’s very important that EULEX sticks to status neutral position in its actions and to have an equal approach to criminals in the north and criminals in the south. Multiethnic crime is something that’s very present and crime cannot be carried out if there’s no this multiethnic component,” he explained.

According to Ivanović, combat against crime will be one of the first priorities of EULEX.

“We are not especially pleased with the level of security in the north, but the north is not the only problem. There is much more crime in Priština and in other parts of Kosovo and Metohija. It’s important for EULEX to focus on crime in a well-balanced approach and I’m sure that they will in that sense have good cooperation with political structures, but also with police stations in northern Kosovo,” the state secretary concluded.