UK Criticises Kosovo Witness Protection System

Britain’s Europe Minister, David Lidington, made the criticisms in the course of a submission to the British parliament.  

“The witness support unit and justice component suffer from a shortage of suitable candidates,” Lidington said in evidence submitted for a parliamentary meeting on November 18.

“This hampers EULEX's ability to proceed with investigations and prosecutions and could impact on its investigations into allegations in Senator Dick Marty's Council of Europe report on organ trafficking,” he added.

Concerns about the witness protection system have grown since the death of Witness X, Agim Zogaj, a key witness in a war-crimes trial involving former minister Fatmir Limaj.

He was found hanged in September in a park in Germany.  His family say he was under EULEX’s witness protection scheme, although the mission has refused to admit this.

Dick Marty, the Swiss Senator, has also questioned EULEX’s ability to protect witnesses and has refused to release his evidence concerning organ trafficking unless improvements are made.  

EULEX has repeatedly defended its witness protection scheme, which it described in March as “high-quality”.

In a letter released last night, EULEX chief Xavier de Marnhac said he condemned those who want to turn Zogaj's death into a “political issue” or who try to “apportion blame”. He added that the witness protection team is staffed by people with “considerable experience in this highly sensitive area”.

But Lidington, and other EU officials in Brussels, apparently believe extra money is required to improve the programme.

The European Union this week approved EULEX’s budget for the next six months to June 2012.

The mission has seen a 10 per cent reduction in its funds, but money has been reallocated to improve witness protection and pay for the new unit dedicated to the Marty investigation.

600,000 euro for 'Marty Force':

According to Lidington, EULEX will now be able to employ individuals directly for its 60-strong witness protection team, rather than rely on employees seconded by member states. Adverts for 50 candidates have already been placed online on EULEX’s website.

This will lead to an increase of 1.7million euro for the proposed six-month budget.

A further 600,000 euro has been set aside for the Special Investigative Task Force, which will look into the claims made by Marty in his controversial report.

The unit will comprise 18 staff and be based in Brussels, it has also emerged.

“The Special Investigation Task Force was set up to investigate allegations of organ trafficking in the Marty report,” Lidington said.

“Senator Marty has made his cooperation with EULEX conditional upon EULEX's ability to protect potential witnesses whose accounts formed the basis of his report," he added.

“The current budget includes a provision of 0.6m for staffing and travel for the Task Force."

EULEX to tackle disorder in north:

Meanwhile, EULEX is expected to concentrate on tackling Kosovo’s troubled Serb-run northern area in the next six months.

Lidington said the mision was “important in tackling organised crime and corruption — areas again highlighted in the [European] Commission's 2011 Progress Report as needing serious reform.

“During the next six month period, we will be pushing hard for EULEX to increase its presence and activity in northern Kosovo.

“It is the one institution that remains best placed to address the levels of crime there.

“EULEX activity will also include full restoration of Kosovo customs control in northern Kosovo and the investigation into Dick Marty's allegations of organised crime, including organ trafficking.”

Lidington said EULEX will also be asked to begin preparation to pass over its powers to Kosovo’s government.

A strategic review is expected to report back in spring 2012 and EULEX’s future, with a new mandate likely to be approved in summer.

EULEX Investigates Itself over Fraud:

A major capital project has been delayed at EULEX as irregularities in a tender process were investigated.

EULEX refused to tell Balkan Insight whether the project had now been approved or whether irregularities had been ruled out.

According to evidence submitted to the UK’s Common Security and Defence Policy Parliamentary Committee, the European Commission had told Britain’s Europe Minister, David Lidington, that “one major capital project had been delayed while irregularities with the tender were investigated."

EULEX declined to comment.