Prishtina Insight Has Learnt
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Opinion: Kosovo’s Successful Use of Violence September 2 - 15, 2011 Issue No. 70 www.prishtinainsight.com Price € 1 NEWS Missing EULEX and Kosovo Kosovo Police Close to Lobbyist “Violent Clash” under > page 2 Arrest in FEATURE Sacked Kosovo Eritrea Gallery Chief Kosovo’s flying Blames Politics independence lobbyist, James Berisha, is being held in prison in Eritrea, it emerged on Thursday afternoon, two weeks after he was reported missing. See Page 4 > page 12 - 13 Limaj Faces Grilling as INSIDE PRISHTINA Prishtina’s History Retraced Through Roads Get Tested ‘Lost’ Photos Former minister Fatmir Limaj is shortly to be interviewed by EULEX prosecutors for the first time in 15 months - while > page 18 his roads face a test of their own, Prishtina Insight has learnt. FEATURE Limaj issued these tenders The news comes as it emerged government - since EULEX police By Artan Mustafa based on a combination of the low- that EULEX prosecutors will inter- raided his home and office. Time Is Running est price and the best technical view Limaj on 20 September. Following the raids, Johannes he EU rule-of-law mission in offer. But questions are being EULEX spokesman Kai Mueller- van Vreeswijk, former chief pros- Out for Macedonia’s Kosovo, EULEX, is to asked about how the technical Berner told Prishtina Insight that ecutor of EULEX, said the mis- Temploy an international offers were graded. Limaj, 40, has been summoned to sion had uncovered evidence that Big Cat expert in road quality as part of a In a number of cases highlight- appear before a EULEX Prosecutor could result in Limaj and Nexhat probe into corruption at the ed by a Prishtina Insight investi- at the Special Prosecution of the Krasniqi, head of the procure- > page 15 Ministry of Transport. gation into road tenders last year, Republic of Kosovo, SPRK, in ment at the Ministry of The unusual move is to be used the reason why some firms regard to the investigations into Transport, being jailed for up to 55 in an attempt to demonstrate that received top technical marks and the Ministry of Transport, Post years. contracts issued by the former thus beat cheaper bids was far and Telecommunications. But lack of further action in the transport minister, Fatmir Limaj, from clear. This will be the first grilling in case and comments made by a for- Kosovo’s only English-language did not provide “value for money”, The international experts 15 months of the once powerful mer EU investigator have cast a newspaper is available: as was stated in the criteria for expect confirmation of their minister - who ran the biggest shadow over the probe. awarding many of the biggest con- appointment in the forthcoming ministerial budget in Prime Delivered to struction projects. weeks, this newspaper has learnt. Minister Hashim Thaci’s previous continues page 2 Your Door Nightclub Shakes Ancient Ban Fails to Halt Kosovo’s From Newsstands Mosque Trade With Serbia across Kosovo A row between Muslims who attend the Kosovo’s ban on the import of Serbian Sent To Hadum mosque in Gjakova, western goods does not cover all areas, it has Your Inbox Kosovo, and the municipality has erupted emerged, as energy and medicine continue after the town’s mayor failed to act against to cross the border. a disruptive nightclub. While imports of most Serbian goods From Mosque-goers said they couldn’t use the stopped in July, multimillion deals that the our partners place of worship at night dur- Kosovo Energy Corporation, KEK, signed with Belgrade-based... news ing Ramadan... page 5 business page 7 see page 16 for more info is supported by: 2 September 2 - 15, 2011 news Limaj Faces Grilling as Roads Get Tested Star Witness in Haradinaj from page 1 procurement. has been interviewed before. Limaj’s lawyer, Tomë Gashi, “Krasniqi might be interviewed Trial Pleads Guilty to Troy Wilkinson, a former police said the prosecution appeared to later again,” Mueller-Berner said. officer in EULEX’s Executive be trying to buy time. Limaj last week appeared at the Contempt of Court Department for Organised Crime, “They sent the invitation for Prishtina Municipal Court in hefqet Kabashi, a former Serbian and Kosovar Roma civil- claimed in an interview last the interview three months in regard to a different case involv- member of the Kosovo ians. month with the newspaper Zeri advance. This is quite strange ing war crimes, for which he is SLiberation Army, has plead- But appeals judges partially that EULEX had focused on the because normally the prosecution suspected. ed guilty to contempt of court for quashed the acquittal last year, Limaj case because they were sends a notice ten to two weeks in The Constitutional Court of refusing to testify during the trial seeking stories to make a media advance and eight days is the min- Kosovo is about to issue an calling for a re-trial because the at a United Nations war crimes tri- trial chamber had not done splash. imum according to the law,” answer in the coming weeks to a bunal of former Kosovo prime min- enough to ensure the testimony of Limaj and Krasniqi are being Gashi said. “They seem to be government request, submitted in ister Ramush Haradinaj on charges certain witnesses given “serious investigated, among other mat- more interested in his reputation July, to clarify whether parlia- of crimes against humanity. witness intimidation,” thus ters, for organised crime, money than the truth.” mentarians and other high state Shefqet Kabashi refused to testi- depriving the prosecution of vital laundering, bribes, misuse of offi- But sources close to prosecu- officials enjoy immunity from fy in 2007 at the first trial of support for its case. The original cial positions and fraud between tion say they’ve made important arrest while serving their man- Haradinaj, KLA commander dur- 2008 and 2010, involving the issue progress, which is leading dates. ing its conflict with Serb forces in trial had heard how many witness- of road tenders. towards an indictment, and that EULEX has said it has an arrest 1998-99, and two others. es felt unsafe. Around 1,300km of roads were they are interviewing Limaj warrant prepared for Limaj for He entered his plea at a session Earlier this month, the tribunal asphalted and renovated when because of this. alleged war crimes, but cannot act of the International Criminal said Kabashi’s testimony was rele- Limaj was in charge of the min- The summons to grill Limaj until the dilemma over MPs’ Tribunal for the former vant as it related to the alleged istry, with Krasniqi at the helm of does not extend to Krasniqi, who immunity is cleared up. Yugoslavia, ICTY, in The Hague, responsibility of Haradinaj and Netherlands, after being handed two co-accused, Idriz Balaj and over to the court earlier this Lahi Brahimaj, on six counts of month by Dutch authorities. torture and murder of prisoners at EULEX and Kosovo Police The ICTY acquitted Haradinaj the KLA headquarters and the in 2008 of charges of murder, rape, prison in Jablanica. torture, abduction, cruel treat- All three deny all wrong-doing ment, imprisonment and the and Kabashi has again refused to Close to “Violent Clash” forced deportation of ethnic respond to prosecutors' questions. A US diplomatic cable Wikileaks Highlight: issued by the embassy in Hundreds Gather for Bajram Prayers Orthodox Church Pays LDD, and he would have had trou- Prishtina, and released by ble in securing votes to maintain Wikileaks, reveals how KEK a government. In fact, this was Thaci at his worst -- emotional, Kosovo Police’s special unit, “On December 30, 2009, Father impulsive, and hasty. It appears ROSU, and EULEX were Simeon, secretary to Bishop that the folly of his exercise was close to clashing violently Artemije, Serbian Orthodox clear to him the following morn- Bishop of Ras and Prizren, signed ing, when he came away from a in August 2009. an agreement with the Kosovo meeting with President Sejdiu Electricity Corporation (KEK) for with nothing to show.” Gracanica Monastery, and stated that all SOC sites in Kosovo were On PDK’s 2009 Election now authorized to become KEK “In this fight, PDK has several By Lawrence Marzouk customers. KEK reconnected clear strengths and weaknesses. Gracanica Monastery the same Chief among its weaknesses is a day. Gracanica Monastery, along reputation for corruption and with 57 other Serbian Orthodox violent clash between crime. No fewer than three of Church (SOC) monasteries, con- Kosovo Police’s special unit, PDK's mayoral candidates have vents, and churches had been dis- AROSU, and EULEX riot prior criminal convictions and/or connected from the electrical grid police was averted through the face felony charges (Sami intervention of US Ambassador to in autumn 2009 due to their fail- Lushtaku, Skenderaj/Srbica: con- Kosovo Christopher Dell, it is ure to register to pay for electrici- victed for threatening a judge; claimed in a leaked cable. ty. SOC buildings were reconnect- Xhabir Zharku, Podujeve/ As tension between EULEX and ed to the electrical grid about one Podujevo: two arrests for kidnap- the Kosovo government mounted month after KEK began to discon- ping, obstruction of justice; and, over a protocol the mission wanted nect non-paying mosques, a Shukri Buja, Lipjan/Lipljan: vehic- to sign with Belgrade, PM Hashim process that began after Islamic ular homicide). That said, PDK Thaci decided to send 25 members Eid al Fitr celebrations.” enjoys the natural advantages of of the paramilitary police unit to incumbency -- patronage and northern Kosovo to protect The Zanzi Bar Fiasco power. Another PDK asset is Prime Albanian returnees who were Minister Thaci, a tireless cam- reconstructing homes.