The UN Security Council voted at a meeting Wednesday to accept Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's report on EULEX deployment in Kosovo. The report recommends that the EU mission remain neutral with regard to Kosovo's independence and operate under the auspices of security council resolution 1244, which forestalls changes to Serbian territorial integrity. EULEX would not operate along the terms of a settlement proposal drafted in 2007 by UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari that presented openings for Kosovo's independence. Serbia has endorsed the UN decision, but officials in Pristina have refused to accept it, with Kosovo Albanian Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni calling the plan “contrary to Kosovo's constitution.”
Oric Released from Custody
Naser Oric, indicted on November 13 for extortion and illegal firearms charges, was released Thursday after a decision by Sarajevo's municipal court council; he is due to appear in court December 3. He had been in custody for 54 days. The Sarajevo court made its decision despite recommendations by cantonal authorities that Oric remain incarcerated. Cantonal prosecutor Dubravko Čampara said his office would file an appeal of the decision. Oric's indictment states that from October 2002 until his arrest he extorted about €102,000 from Dzehva Okanovic of Tuzla.
Pukanic Suspect Mails RS Press
The Banja Luka news portal Press published a letter Wednesday on its website sent by Zeljko Milovanovic, the fugitive wanted by Croatian police for the murder of journalist Ivo Pukanic. In the letter, Milovanovic claims he is innocent and that he is the victim of a plot by Croatian police to frame him. Milovanovic also claims that security footage exists of him dining in a restaurant in the Bosnian town of Doboj on October 23rd, the day Pukanic was killed. The four page handwritten letter included a photocopy of Milovanovic's identification card. Bosnian police said they had sent the letter to Zagreb for analysis. “We all want this to go over in the best possible way, and we guarantee Milovanovic that he will have the opportunity to prove whether he is guilty or not,” said Republika Srpska Police Chief, Gojko Vasic.
--Michael Mehen
UN Approves EULEX Transition
Опубликовано: 28 Ноябрь 2008
