EU says expected fair process in case of Serbian institutions in Kosovo

An EU spokesman told Free Europe Radio that the bloc's Mission for Winding Law in Kosovo (EULEX) is monitoring the case on the ground, reports REL, broadcast Periscope.

“We expect Kosovo authorities to respect and ensure a fair legal process throughout the entire procedure, in line with Kosovo laws and international standards. This also means that any detention decision should be necessary and proportional”, the EU response said.

The Constitutional Court in Pristina on 21 May scheduled a month of detention for the seven directors of Serbian institutions, arguing that there is real danger the defendants, if released, could avoid criminal responsibility or repeat criminal work.

Suspects of influence on the free will of voters were arrested on May 19th at the order of the Constitutional Prosecutor in Pristina, who, as he has said, has acted under official duty following media reports on the party's claims of Freedom, Justice and Survival, Nenad Raspi, that Serbian List is putting pressure on and blackmailing its supporters.

The Serbian List, the main Kosovo Serb party that acts with the support of authorities in Serbia, has condemned the detention assignment for the directors of Serbian institutions and has said it is a “persecution and intimidation”.

Education and health institutions in Serb-run areas in Kosovo operate according to Serbia's system, and are the only ones left, as Kosovo authorities have closed other institutions, praising that they are “parile and illegal”.

Meanwhile, Rassic, who is also acting minister for the Community and Return in the Government of Kosovo, has claimed that around 20 people who support him have left work on these Serbian institutions, as well as that in the future, an estimated 40 people are expected to make decisions on leaving the municipality of Gracanica only.

The Serbian list has denied all charges and has said Rassic is trying to “to justify the loss in the upcoming elections.

Radio Free Europe (REL) on May 18th published evidence of some people who said they have left work because they do not support the Serbian List, but of Rashiki's party.

They had been working for decades in Serbia's health and educational institutions in Kosovo, which in recent years are largely guided by members and officials of the Serbian List, the main party of Serbs in Kosovo acting with the support of official Belgrade.

Parliamentary elections in Kosovo are held on June 7th, while only Rasic's Serb political subjects participate in the Serb List and the Party for Freedom, Justice and Survival.

Authorities in Kosovo have welcomed the Constitutional Prosecutor's response to the management's case, while Serbia officials have named the arrests politically motivated. /Periscope