Degert: ICJ decision should come before any talk of Kosovo

PRAGUE, BELGRADE, June 11 (Tanjug) - Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert said Friday that it is too early to say whether Serbia has to recognize Kosovo to enter the EU, explaining that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) should first deliver its opinion on the legality of Kosovo's independence.

Degert told Radio Free Europe that it is too early to say if the EU integration and the Kosovo issue are two separate processes for Serbia, and that the ICJ decision should be heard first.

It is early to discuss that, as well as give an answer, said Degert. There is an ongoing process before the ICJ, and one should hear the court's decision before deciding what to do next, according to Degert.

The EU official reaffirmed EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele's statement that Kosovo and the EU integration are two separate issues for Serbia, but added that the EU operates based on a consensus.

The two processes move forward in parallel, and they have to move forward, said Fuele, but added that the EU functions in a way that requires a consensus of all 27 members.

Outgoing UK Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth stated recently that Kosovo and the EU are no longer separate issues for Serbia, and that to request new negotiations on Kosovo's status would mean that Serbia wants to openly confront the 22 EU countries that have recognized Kosovo.

Representatives of Germany, Sweden and France gave similar statements.

Uruguay supports Serbia's territorial integrity

MONTEVIDEO, BELGRADE, June 11 (Tanjug) - Uruguay, which has not recognized Kosovo's independence, offers principled support to the preservation of Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said Friday.

Uruguay has once again confirmed that Serbia can count on its support in political matters, Dacic noted.

"Uruguay is one of the countries to which I expressed our appreciation for the principled stance on supporting our territorial integrity," he said, reminding that Uruguay, along with most Latin American countries, has not recognized Kosovo's independence.

Dacic noted that his visit is the first bilateral contact and meeting between Serbian and Uruguayan officials in quite some time, the Serbian Interior Ministry said in a statement.

"Our cooperation can certainly be improved," he said, pointing out that Serbia and Uruguay have barely any cooperation, which is a big mistake.

According to him, Serbia needs to renew its ties to Uruguay and other Latin American countries and prepare "various agreements to that end - on visa liberalization, economic and police cooperation."

Dacic has been on a six day visit to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay since Monday, with a view to establishing closer cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, with a focus on the cocaine trade.

NATO: Security situation in Kosovo remains stable

BRUSSELS, June 11 (Tanjug) - The security situation in Kosovo remains stable, despite the occasional violent incidents between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority, the defence ministers of 28 NATO member countries said in a statement on Friday, after a meeting in Brussels.

At the meeting, the ministers discussed the possible reduction in the Alliance's 10,000-strong peacekeeping force in Kosovo, AP reported.

NATO ministers of defence requested Thursday additional evaluation of the political and defence situation in Kosovo before deciding whether to reduce the number of troops there to 5,000 and switch to a deterrent mission.

Despite occasional incidents, the situation in Kosovo is developing towards an increased level of security and stability with stronger local institutions, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

The ministers stated clearly that KFOR would remain in Kosovo for as long as necessary, says an announcement posted on the NATO website.

Kosovo's security remains vital for the security of the entire Balkans and Europe, said Rasmussen.

The two-day meeting of NATO defence ministers was opened at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels on June 10.

KPS officers dismissed over falsified diplomas

PRISTINA, (Tanjug) - A large number of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) members was dismissed due to the possession of falsified diplomas, including some who were holding relevant positions in the KPS General Directorate and had only elementary education, the Pristina-based daily Zeri was told by police sources.

The 44 police officers managed to work with falsified diplomas for years, but the service in charge of the internal police control disclosed the fraud. The officers were dismissed shortly after it was determined that they had falsified high school diplomas at the time when they applied for police service.

KPS spokesperson Arber Beka confirmed that there were several recorded cases of diploma falsification, but pointed out that considering the total number of the KPS officers, the number of those who had forged diplomas is insignificant.

It is true that it has been ascertained that several police officers did not have a high school diploma at all, which was the minimum criteria for admission to the police at the time, or had false diplomas. In both cases, those officers were dismissed, despite the problems the reduction in the number of policemen could cause, Beka said.

Even though falsification of documents is a criminal act which is sanctioned in keeping with the Kosovo Penal Code, the KPS officials could not say whether criminal proceedings have been instituted against the 44 police officers.

EULEX announces arrests in northern Kosovo

PRISTINA, June 11 (Tanjug) - EULEX officials said that the arrests they have announced could include northern Kosovo as well, and involve officials of parallel structures in this area who for years have been involved in smuggling and other criminal activities, the Pristina-based daily Koha Ditore reported Friday.

EULEX is not here to attack only one party, one government or a single national community. There are several very serious cases in the north that we are currently working on, and some arrests in that respect could take place, a senior EULEX official told the daily.

Speaking for another Pristina-based daily Zeri, spokeswoman of Justice component of the EULEX mission Christina Herodes confirmed that investigations in the north have been carried for some time now, but could not say whether they will be followed by arrests.

Zeri on Thursday announced that EULEX was to arrest that night certain officials of Kosovo institutions suspected of involvement in organized crime and corruption, and among them representatives of the Kosovo Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications.

However, as EULEX stated earlier today, the EULEX police did not arrest last night any persons suspected with corruption or organized crime in Kosovo.

EULEX: No arrests on Thursday evening

PRISTINA, June 11 (Tanjug) - EULEX did not arrest any suspects for corruption and organized crime in Kosovo on Thursday evening.

EULEX did not carry out arrest actions on Thursday evening, EULEX Spokesperson Irina Gudeljevic told Tanjug on Friday morning, and underlined that EULEX will continue to investigate into cases of corruption and organized crime.

The Pristina-based daily Zeri reported on Thursday that EULEX should have arrested certain officials of Kosovo institutions suspected of organized crime and corruption on Wednesday, including officials of the Kosovo Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications.

We will not comment the investigation or what may happen in future. The EULEX police and prosecutors, who work together with their Kosovo colleagues, will continue to investigate into the cases of organized crime and corruption, and provided there is enough evidence, cases will be submitted to court, Gudeljevic said.

Referring to an unnamed international representative, the daily reported that the officials of the Kosovo Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications should have been arrested on Wednesday evening, but not including Minister Fatmir Ljimaj, who is also under EULEX investigation.

Zeri added that it is possible that representatives of institutions, current and previous government, and public companies and agencies will be arrested in the days ahead.

Several Albanians attack three Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, June 11 (Tanjug) - One Kosovo Serb suffered light injuries, while two were scratched when they were attack by a group of ethnic Albanians in northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica on Thursday evening, Kosovo Police Service Regional Spokesperson Besim Hoti told Tanjug.

Hoti stated that this was an ethnically motivated attack, adding that the KPS believes that the incident was a response to Serbs' attack on ethic Albanians in Kosovska Mitrovica that took place the night before.

One of the injured Serbs was admitted to hospital in Kosovska Mitrovica.

Mandate of German KFOR troops extended

BERLIN, June 11 (Tanjug) - The German parliament on Thursday backed a government decision to extend the mandate of the Bundeswehr mission in Kosovo until June 30, 2011, but reduced the upper limit of the number of troops from 3,500 to 2,500.

The mission extension was backed by 486 parliament members from among the ruling Democratic-Christians and Liberals and opposition Social-Democrats and the Green Party, while MPs of the Left, which was formed with a merger of the successors of the former East German Communists and the WASG Party were against it, underlining that the mission is contrary to international law.

Bundestag thus confirmed the decision of the German government to extend the mandate of the country's troops in Kosovo. Bundeswehr has had 100,000 troops stationed in Kosovo since 1999, German media recalled.

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