Tahiri: MDU has envisioned three key obligations in the European agenda

Justice Minister Abelard Tahiri has reported before the Commission for European Integration about implementing the criteria for Kosovo's European agenda.

He stressed that the ministry he heads has three main obligations that connect with the European agenda.

Tahiri has set a goal of empowering legislation on the conflict of interest in the exercise of public office, drafting the document that will remove public officials from office if they have an indictment until the completion of the process and the draft law on the state chief prosecutor.

The first “is the document concept on completing the change of legislation in force, to ensure the suspension or removal of officials accused or convicted of corruption. The MD has sent for preliminary consultations the draft of the document's draft of the removal or suspension of officials charged with criminal corruption. After that, my second obligation is to prevent conflict of interest in the exercise of public office. The bill to prevent conflict of interest in the exercise of public office has been approved for approval in Government and is now located in the Assembly. The bill is drafted on perspective that accurately explains where an official is at odds with interest. And the third bill is the draft law for the state prosecutor, respectively, reviewing provisions referring to the issue that the prosecutors' appointment to Special Prosecutor”, Tahiri said.

Minister Tahiri added that it is also in intensive work to meet the change of the Kosovo Criminal Code, which he warned that in late November it would be sent to the Assembly for review and approval. As of three months next year, he warned sending the Code of Criminal Procedure to the site to meet the amendment.

He stressed that they are also making a host of changes to legislation contributing to fighting corruption and organised crime, which he called very challenging.

The fight against corruption, money laundering and financing and fighting terrorism is a very difficult and challenging process. We have taken the first but sure steps to create legal preconditions and resources to combat these phenomena in our commitment so far. MD has claimed responsibility for co-ordinating justice institutions in order to realise a series of activities that would create preconditions for easier access to justice”, he has said.

While LDK deputy, at the Commission for European Integration, Armend Zemaj, asked Minister Tahiri to announce what will change in the Kosovo Criminal Code, and what in other laws. Also, deputy Zemaj demanded that the issue of leaving officials with charges of corruption be launched by the Government itself.

It is the political will that corrupt actions, abuse of official duty, combating organised crime and other negative phenomena in the country is not only a matter of legislation, but is above all individuals who carry positions and public positions, but also those who are in the justice system. So starting with your goal that's first not only for law enforcement, because when you're talking about legislation you're understated that we lack legislation, it should be clarified that legislation is in force. There's also one issue I would suggest you be more concrete in the changes you're going to set before the Parliament... I personally see your goal in the absence of what's happening. First of all, the document concept of raising charges, while you have people in the Government who have charges of corruption and how you will approve this document and bring the Assembly to become part of the constitution”, Zemaj said.

At this commission meeting, Kosovo Initiative MP Milaim Zeka has raised the question of the return to the Kosovo Criminal Code, the provisions journalists are forced to show the source of information in court.

I would like to enter the next Penal Code, the testimony so far that 16 years has not been condemned by any false witness in Kosovo. And on false testimony, dozens of innocent people have been convicted and charged with disfigured by MPs, ministers, the other prosecutor's court. The first, the second Mr. Minister for Information Source, on which journalists are slandering, must be adjusted to the Criminal Code based on Western countries' experience. In that democratic source of information Sweden by journalists must be shown before the Court, it means not before the prosecutor, not before the police, but when a case goes to the journalist's court to show the source of the information and that it returns to the Penal Code”, Zeka said.

Zeka said he has opposed removing these articles, as on behalf of this journalists are slandering. He also demanded that the property declaration be open only to the police, the prosecution and the court, but not to all, since, according to him, the account of the bank money is a risk of their children's lives.

While MP Ilir Deda has asked Minister Tahiri, in the draft law on expanded competencies for confiscating property acquired by criminal acts, to consider the key recommendation of last year's European Integration Commission to bring the burden of evidence to the suspect. /B. Syla/