“EULEX must protect witnesses”

War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic says that the most important issue is whether EULEX is capable of protecting the witnesses in the organ trade case. "I believe this to be the most important issue. UNMIK has lost many of the witnesses and thus we have incomplete cases in The Hague. If EULEX conducts the investigation on its own, and if there be the political will to do it objectively, there will have to be a completely different approach to the protection of witnesses,” he stressed. “EULEX must protect witnesses” The war crimes prosecutor told daily Politika he really respected the colleagues from EULEX, but added that the environment in which they worked was problematic. “Our country stands for an independent investigation, protected from a possible political impact and focused solely on the topic. EULEX is awaiting evidence, but the evidence has to be collected and there has already been enough time for this to be done. I believe that in the end, the UN will entrust the mandate to EULEX, regardless of our wishes,” said Vukcevic. He pointed out that the War Crimes Prosecution would, as previously, actively cooperate with EULEX. “We are open for cooperation. But we will not accept that our three-year's work ends up as unimportant case files. I think there is a need for some kind of international monitoring, corrective authority to oversee and have the opportunity to professionally assist in the investigation. Otherwise, everything is turning into a political game, the victims do not have the answer, EULEX is leading a preliminary investigation, and all this means nothing with regard to the procedural aspect,” Vukcevic underlined. Vladimir Vukcevic (FoNet)

“EULEX must protect witnesses”

The war crimes prosecutor told daily Politika he really respected the colleagues from EULEX, but added that the environment in which they worked was problematic.

“Our country stands for an independent investigation, protected from a possible political impact and focused solely on the topic. EULEX is awaiting evidence, but the evidence has to be collected and there has already been enough time for this to be done. I believe that in the end, the UN will entrust the mandate to EULEX, regardless of our wishes,” said Vukčević.

He pointed out that the War Crimes Prosecution would, as previously, actively cooperate with EULEX.

“We are open for cooperation. But we will not accept that our three-year's work ends up as unimportant case files. I think there is a need for some kind of international monitoring, corrective authority to oversee and have the opportunity to professionally assist in the investigation. Otherwise, everything is turning into a political game, the victims do not have the answer, EULEX is leading a preliminary investigation, and all this means nothing with regard to the procedural aspect,” Vukčević underlined.