Kosovo Mission 'Reviewing' Limaj Arrest Warrant

Ahead of planned protest marches against the arrest for war crimes of a number of ex-Kosovo liberation Army, KLA, combatants, the lawyer for former transport minister Fatmir Limaj has predicted that charges against his client will soon be dropped.

Last week, the EU rule-of-law mission, EULEX, announced an arrest warrant for the former transport minister related to the so-called Kleqke case and to other serious allegations of war crimes committed during 1999 war in Kosovo.

Limaj is suspected of ordering one murder and of participating in the inhumane treatment of Serbs and Albanians held in the Kleqke KLA camp, in Malisevo municipality. 

On March 16, the EU mission arrested nine people in an investigation relating to war crimes. Limaj was taken in for questioning by EULEX prosecutors and later released.

The mission said it had only discussed the charges with Limaj since he remains a deputy in the Kosovo assembly.

“The issue of immunity is still being clarified. However, the issue of immunity does not prevent the process of prosecution from continuing,” EULEX said. 

But Limaj’s defence lawyer, Tome Gashi, said that EULEX understood that issuing an warrant arrest for his client would be considered illegal.

“Limaj has immunity as an MP and therefore you cannot issue a warrant arrest,” Gashi told Balkan Insight. 

“The immunity of my client can be removed only by the consent of the majority of all deputies of the assembly, which means 61 votes,” Gashi said.

Last weekend, Limaj said he was ready to give up his MP's immunity to let justice do its work.

The KLA veterans' organisation has called for protests in towns all over Kosovo on Wednesday against the EULEX arrests of former KLA members.