The OSCE chief frankly says: Corruption Not Fighting in Kosovo

Fighting high-level corruption in Kosovo remains a challenge.

For this reason, O mission The SEU and the German government have launched the second project for empowering the capacity of Kosovo institutions in fighting high-level corruption.

German Ambassador Angelika Viets cited high-level corruption as a phenomenon Kosovo institutions must face for visa liberalisation.

High-level corruption unfortunately remains one of the major challenges for Kosovo development. Establishing a positive history of dealing with high-level corruption remains one of the main conditions for visa liberalisation”, she said.

According to Viets, investigators and prosecutors must remain impartial, and toy pursue all cases with strong evidence regardless of who is accused.

This, according to her, requires good inter-institutional co-operation, political will and courage.

In December 2015, one of the eight then-visa visa-free criteria of Kosovars was also the achievement of results in fighting corruption, which the government has repeatedly said has fulfilled.

Jan Braathu, O Mission chief The SEU in Kosovo said in Kosovo laws for fighting this phenomenon exist, but do not apply.

It's important that laws be implemented, laws exist, implementation- implementation is not at the proper level. Much more can be done to have a literal application of the legal framework that has been approved by the Kosovo Assembly”, Braathu added.

According to Braathu, the key element for fighting corruption is sequenting assets which have been absorbed by criminal activities.

Meanwhile, Kosovo Police Deputy General Director Naim Rexha added that Kosovo Police will have a primary focus on clearing themselves of all corrupt elements”.

E Sylla Hoxha from the Kosovo Special Prosecutor's Office indicated there are tangible results in the course of fighting high-level corruption.

Hoxha specifically cited some of the prosecutions against corruption.

“We, as Special Prosecutor, have filed charges in the case of Esat Tahiri, Nasser Osman.., the case of Xhavit Dajajaj's contracts, the case of prosecutor Vahide Badivuk, Ilir Tolaj, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, the case of Hysni Hoja, director of the OSHP, the case of Meto Bucaliu, Enver Hasani, Blerim Sokoli, the case of Klokot municipality president, and we have several cases of lawyers, several cases of lawyers, etc.

KA LLXO.com has written about some of these anti-corruption judgments.

At this guest meeting was Shaip Havolli, director of the Anti-Corruption Agency, who added that in all polls Kosovo has high levels of corruption.

Havolli said progress has been noted in fighting corruption, but that progress according to him is not sufficient.

Despite the efforts, Havolli said they are still not very functional in fighting corruption. Meanwhile, it has noted progress but not enough.