State provided 61 000 euros for special interviewee spending

So far, the prosecution has not filed any charges, while according to the KLA War Veterans' Association, this prosecutor has interviewed more than 250 people, mostly former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

The specialised prosecution has long launched investigations against several former Kosovo Liberation Army members, under suspicions that they have committed crimes against Serbs and some Albanians, during and after the recent war in Kosovo.

Free Europe Radio has asked for access to public documents of the Government of Kosovo concerning money spent.

The Ministry of Justice has not offered direct access to required documents, but has provided information about expenditures, including the period until the end of 2019. Based on three government decisions, which the Ministry of Justice has provided, it turns out the amount spent amounts to approximately 61 thousand euros.

After Government decision no. 14/94 of 19.3.2019, equipment has been spent on the sum of 40,000.00.00. (euro); According to Government decision no. 10/88 of the date05.02.2019 has been spent on the value of $30,000 (according to paragraph 3 points 3.1.2 and 3.3 ); A total of 9,187.00, according to decision no. 10/88 on the date 05.02.2019, paragraph 3 points 3.1 has returned the means to the budget of the Republic of Kosovo”, the Justice Ministry's response reported.

According to representatives of civil society organisations, this amount, of 61 thousand euros, has covered the expenses of two or three respondents, but not other people.

Medjide Demolli-Niman, director of the FOL Movement, in a proposal for Radio Free Europe, says that mismanaging the government's budget in resignations has been present in every dictatorship, including financial support for persons involved in judicial processes near the Specialised Chambers.

She says that despite not being obliged to support themselves financially, the Government on Kosovo's departure has acted selectively, when it is known that more than 200 people have been in the interview and only some have gained financial support.

She says the government's decisions officially prove to have been three beneficiaries for the figures these people have benefited. Only for one of the respondents at The Hague, according to her, (name known for editorialism), the government has allocated to him 40 thousand euros.

“Since we still have no indictment established by the Special Court of Kosovo, and with the establishment of charges and Kosovo's obligations will be greater in proportion to the possible indictees, I think the new government should have a priority of transparency and accountability, even in terms of compensations about possible indictees”, Demolli- Nimani said.

The Ministry of Justice has told Radio Free Europe that it has executed Government decisions by providing technical services, as the means under the premarked decisions are divided by the category called; Unforeseen Explanation Reserve.

Ehat Miftaraj, from the Kosovo Institute for Justice in a conversation for Radio Free Europe, said all persons who might be the object of these processes, the state of Kosovo should offer equal treatment, fair and impartial judgment.

He says he regrets how the Kosovo government has spent money on persons interviewed so far by the Specialised Prosecutor and has not been transparent.

“at this stage when we still have no indictment, a certain number of them [persons interviewed] have received tens of thousands of euros, which the Government of Kosovo has covered, that is, in the complete lack of transparency”, Miftaraj said.

The launch of the Special Court's work and the proceedings of the eventual indictment will affect the Republic of Kosovo budget, civil society representatives say.

On the basis of the Law for Legal and Financial Protection of Those Who may be charged by the Special Court, adopted by the Parliament of Kosovo, individuals have the right to request assistance in covering defence spending and the commitment of independent defenders.

The law guarantees coverage of the costs for lawyers to accused persons. Likewise, the same Law provides coverage of expenses to family members during visits to those who will face court processes at The Hague.

For covering these expenditures, the Government of Kosovo has said it has allocated 1.5m euros.