Del Ponte reacts to EU moves in Kosovo organ trafficking

Source: B92, Blic

BELGRADE -- Carla Del Ponte has said that she was not contacted as an EULEX team was being set up to probe allegations of human organ trafficking in Kosovo.

Carla Del Ponte (FoNet, file)

Belgrade daily Blic writes today that the former chief Hague prosecutor, who first publicly brought the issue up her book published three years ago, was surprised by the news that a competition was announced for the selection of a seven-member team, that is supposed to investigate the case within the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX

"I know nothing about this, but we should wait and see what happens in the coming days," Del Ponte stated, and added that she was ready to take over the investigation at any time.

The daily writes that names of the prosecutors and judges the EU selected could be known this week.

They should "investigate the system of kidnappings, murders and sale of organs", and involvement of the leadership of the ethnic Albanian KLA in this.

According to the report, the team will join that already set up by EULEX in January, with some of its members based in Priština and others in Brussels.

A spokesperson for EULEX said the process "would be conducted under the jurisdiction of the Priština District Court, because Brussels cannot have jurisdiction in Kosovo".

A majority of the victims of the KLA atrocities are believed to have been Serb civilians, and Serbia wants the probe to be handled under the auspices of the United Nations.

Council of Europe's Dick Marty late last year submitted his report on the issue, while a month later the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution based on the report, calling for the independent investigation to be launched.