The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) has issued a lengthy statement on its official website, denying having received a direct request for support from the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade regarding the events in Banjska, for which Kosovo authorities have filed charges against Milan Radojičić and his group.
According to EULEX’s statement, since 2018, the mission has not been authorized to conduct any criminal investigations.
“Since 2018, EULEX no longer has an executive mandate. Therefore, EULEX is legally unable to conduct any criminal investigations, such as preparing incident reports, collecting photographic evidence, autopsy reports, medical reports for the injured, examining weapons and explosives, witness testimony, etc. EULEX has not received any direct request for support from the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade regarding this case,” the statement reads in part.
Full Statement:
Statement from EULEX
Regarding today’s media reports and claims concerning the role of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) in judicial procedures related to the violent events in Banjska, EULEX would like to reiterate once again that:
– Since 2018, EULEX no longer has an executive mandate. Therefore, EULEX is legally unable to conduct any form of criminal investigation, such as preparing incident reports, collecting photographic evidence, autopsy reports, medical reports for the injured, examining weapons and explosives, witness testimonies, etc.
– EULEX has not received any direct request for support from the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade regarding the case.
– While EULEX’s mandate includes supporting the Kosovo Police in the area of international police cooperation by facilitating the exchange of police information between the Kosovo Police and INTERPOL, EUROPOL, or the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, it is the EU Special Representative (EUSR) in Kosovo, not EULEX, who is responsible for facilitating mutual legal assistance requests between Kosovo and non-recognizing judicial and prosecutorial authorities, including Serbia. Such a support request from the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, if submitted, would be beyond the scope of our current mandate.
– In line with its current mandate, EULEX has closely monitored, and continues to monitor, the criminal proceedings and judicial activities carried out by Kosovo authorities concerning this case, to assess whether Kosovo’s rule of law institutions comply with the legal framework in force and their human rights obligations without discrimination.
– In accordance with its mandate, if serious deficiencies are identified through our monitoring activities, we address these with the relevant authorities by developing recommendations and advice to enable them to effectively address these deficiencies.
