Macedonia: Albanian MPs stripped of immunity

Macedonia's parliament yesterday revoked the right to immunity to two ethnic Albanian lawmakers.

Izvor: FoNet

Sunday, 28.09.2008.

15:09

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Macedonia's parliament yesterday revoked the right to immunity to two ethnic Albanian lawmakers. Hisen Dzemaili and Hajrulu Misini, elected on the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) ticket, are suspected of committing crimes during the conflict in that country in 2001. Macedonia: Albanian MPs stripped of immunity The prosecution in Skoplje has announced it intends to issue war crimes indictments against the two. The AP news agency reminds that DUI, a member of the ruling coalition in Macedonia, was formed by "the former Albanian rebels". Dzemaili is one of 23 persons suspected of kidnapping and torturing four construction workers in 2001. Misini will be charged with taking part in a sabotage operation that cut off Kumanovo's water supply. Previously, the pair said they would "voluntarily" give up their immunity and appear before the court. But neither they nor other suspects showed up as the trial kicked off on Sept. 16, prompting the judge in charge of the process to order their arrests. Meanwhile, DUI is saying that its members will cooperate with the courts, but party officials also said they believe the indictments will fall through, "since former rebels had been granted amnesty", based on a peace deal that ended seven months of fighting between Macedonia's security forces and ethnic Albanian armed groups. But Macedonia's Court of Appeals has ruled that the amnesty granted at that time does not extend to the cases in question, since the charges include crimes against humanity. Another ethnic Albanian party, DPA, said in a statement that the trials could cause "an increase in tensions". "This is no time to open up old wounds, especially as we begin to build trust between ethnic communities based on the common goal: Macedonia's membership in the EU and NATO," former DPA lawmaker Imer Selmani commented.

Macedonia: Albanian MPs stripped of immunity

The prosecution in Skoplje has announced it intends to issue war crimes indictments against the two.

The AP news agency reminds that DUI, a member of the ruling coalition in Macedonia, was formed by "the former Albanian rebels".

Dzemaili is one of 23 persons suspected of kidnapping and torturing four construction workers in 2001. Misini will be charged with taking part in a sabotage operation that cut off Kumanovo's water supply.

Previously, the pair said they would "voluntarily" give up their immunity and appear before the court. But neither they nor other suspects showed up as the trial kicked off on Sept. 16, prompting the judge in charge of the process to order their arrests.

Meanwhile, DUI is saying that its members will cooperate with the courts, but party officials also said they believe the indictments will fall through, "since former rebels had been granted amnesty", based on a peace deal that ended seven months of fighting between Macedonia's security forces and ethnic Albanian armed groups.

But Macedonia's Court of Appeals has ruled that the amnesty granted at that time does not extend to the cases in question, since the charges include crimes against humanity.

Another ethnic Albanian party, DPA, said in a statement that the trials could cause "an increase in tensions".

"This is no time to open up old wounds, especially as we begin to build trust between ethnic communities based on the common goal: Macedonia's membership in the EU and NATO," former DPA lawmaker Imer Selmani commented.

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