Full operational capability for the Eulex mission in Kosovo
(B2) The “EULEX” rule of law mission in Kosovo is now fully operational. A ceremony is held at EULEX headquarters in Pristina to mark this event on 6 April. That is a little more than six months behind schedule: first the Serbs, helped by the Russians, then the Kosovars having opposed the arrival of the Europeans from Eulex to take over from the United Nations Mission United for Kosovo (UNMIK). Full operational capacity (FOC) means that its workforce is at or near full (a final recruitment is in progress) and that it is active throughout its area of action. According to a last count, more than 1700 international experts are at work, assisted by 820 local agents.
Present everywhere even north of Mitrovica. Despite the initial difficulties, European police and customs officers are deployed throughout Kosovo, including north of Mitrovica. The police are distributed in the 34 police stations and the six headquarters. European customs officers thus monitor the “Gate 1” and “Gate 31” borders with Serbia, one of the most delicate points of the mission. Because it marks in a practical way, the break between Serbia and its former province with an Albanian majority. It also puts an end to an era of lawlessness which favored trafficking, especially of gasoline. According to Eulex, thus, smuggling fell and tax revenues increased. Eulex magistrates and prosecutors took part in 80 hearings. Among them a judgment for war crime, condemning its author to 17 years in prison. A trial was even held in Mitrovica, the first since the violent incidents of March 2008.
The identification of the missing, discreet but necessary action by Eulex. To be discreet, the mission of Eulex on the identification of missing persons must be mentioned. Because it nevertheless participates in the necessary work of memory. Eulex thus carried out 13 exhumations. And new sites where the bodies of missing persons may be found have been identified. The remains of 23 people have been formally identified and 18 have been returned to their families. 151 fingerprints were submitted for DNA analysis.
(NGV)
