Former Judge EULEX: EU mission in Kosovo, unilateral for KLA fighters' issues

Waiting for Kosovo Parliament to set hearing of its claims against E ULEX, Simmons spoke to Exit News, showing that Charles Smith, former chairman of the EULEX judges' assembly, based his decisions on political opinions.

In an email seen by Exit News, Smith asks Simmons that the case against former KLA commander, converted into politician Fatmir Limaj é also known as “Klecka”, prepare for trial “earlier than possible. ”

In the email sent in January 2013, Smith claims the demand comes for a number of reasons, <x0) essentially political. ”

“I hope you get this case fast and also develop it as soon as possible,” he writes.

EULEX has handed over the indictment for the Klecka case in 2011 and its trial was launched in January 2012, relying mainly on witness testimony such as Agim Zogaj, who committed suicide while under ban by EULEX in Germany.

After Limaj cleared them of the charges in 2012, Kosovo's Supreme Court ordered Limaj's retrial and he was sent to custody.

Fatmir Limaj and nine other detainees (former KLA fighters) are charged with war crimes, torture of Serb and Albanian prisoners at the Klecka detention point during 1999.

The case was closed in 2017 when Kosovo's Supreme Court acquitted Limaj of war crimes charges.

EULEX, in turn, says its judges and prosecutors are autonomous and independent, carrying out procedures and judgments based solely on law.

Regarding Simmons' claims, which calls EULEX “unilaterally and uninterested in evidence, the mission says Malcolm Simmons “has refused to co-operate with the investigation groups that were created to investigate the alleged violations of him”.

When given the opportunity to deepen in his advanced claims, Mr. Simmons did not give the investigative groups evidence to support the charges,” is said in a written response to EULEX.

But Simmons says the disciplinary processes within EULEX were a <x0farce. ”

This process only aimed at creating priorities that it was a reliable and legitimate body”, says Simmons for Exit News. /tch