"Organ trafficking must be investigated"

PACE President Melvut Cavusoglu said that the resolution on organ trafficking in Kosovo must result in an investigation as soon as possible. "The message of Dick Marty's report, on which the resolution was based, is clear - he calls for true international cooperation," the Turkish officials said in an interview for the Tuesday edition of the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti. "Organ trafficking must be investigated" He added that "no one is opposed to an investigation", as well as that "the only question is who will carry it out". The Marty report, published late last December, names leaders of the ethnic Albanian KLA as perpetrators of atrocities that included kidnappings of Serb and other civilians and harvesting of their vital organs for sale in the black market. Some countries are proposing that the investigation be carried out by the UN, while other countries believe that EULEX is capable of conducting it. PACE only said that it should be conducted by the "competent authorities," Cavusoglu noted. He was quoted as saying by the daily that "it seems that agreement will be reached that EULEX head the investigation". Cavusoglu believes it is "very good" that Belgrade and Pristina have opened a dialogue. Asked if Kosovo has submitted a request for membership in the Council of Europe (CoE), Cavusoglu said that to his knowledge it has not and that this is not an open issue. The PACE president also said that Serbia has made good progress in fulfilling the requirements of CoE membership, and that it is good the Serbian government has good cooperation with the Venice Commission regarding bills that should pass soon, including the electoral bill. "On the other hand, issues such as corruption, organized crime and human trafficking remain. This is a serious problem, not just for the Western, but for the entire Balkans," Cavusoglu said, urging the government to continue with serious reforms, pass new laws and implement existing ones, as well as sign and ratify the remaining CoE conventions.

"Organ trafficking must be investigated"

He added that "no one is opposed to an investigation", as well as that "the only question is who will carry it out".

The Marty report, published late last December, names leaders of the ethnic Albanian KLA as perpetrators of atrocities that included kidnappings of Serb and other civilians and harvesting of their vital organs for sale in the black market.

Some countries are proposing that the investigation be carried out by the UN, while other countries believe that EULEX is capable of conducting it. PACE only said that it should be conducted by the "competent authorities," Cavusoglu noted.

He was quoted as saying by the daily that "it seems that agreement will be reached that EULEX head the investigation".

Cavusoglu believes it is "very good" that Belgrade and Priština have opened a dialogue.

Asked if Kosovo has submitted a request for membership in the Council of Europe (CoE), Cavusoglu said that to his knowledge it has not and that this is not an open issue.

The PACE president also said that Serbia has made good progress in fulfilling the requirements of CoE membership, and that it is good the Serbian government has good cooperation with the Venice Commission regarding bills that should pass soon, including the electoral bill.

"On the other hand, issues such as corruption, organized crime and human trafficking remain. This is a serious problem, not just for the Western, but for the entire Balkans," Cavusoglu said, urging the government to continue with serious reforms, pass new laws and implement existing ones, as well as sign and ratify the remaining CoE conventions.