Serb authorities further releasing of Kosovo’s Albanian criminals

“Decision of Belgrade’s authorities to hand over 145 imprisoned Albanians to the police of UN Civil Mission to Kosovo is a positive step which could further US financial assistance to Yugoslavia,” – spokesman for the Department of State, Richard Boucher said. Next day 80 of the 145 Albanian prisoners were released just after they were moved from Serb prisons to Kosovar ones. Belgrade authorities explained their decision about handing over Albanian prisoners with necessity to execute the treaty about cooperation between Yugoslav authorities and UN Civil Administration in Kosovo. And at once – please, a fine gesture: “Serb authorities accused Kosovar Albanians from political reasons,” read the Kosovar court’s substantiation. (Though, while observing the puppet authorities’ activities, one could expect something like that). Moreover, according to Beta agency’s information, next week 32 more Albanians will be released. The “wrongly condemned” who wait for a new decision of the court were greeted by the head of UN Civil Mission to Kosovo, Michael Steiner, while visiting Dubrava prison. Other Kosovar Albanians will most likely also not serve their sentences. It is noticeable, that Kosovar Serbs are not being released in exchange of Kosovar Albanians. And nobody keeps this fact secret, chairman of Coordiantion Centre on Kosovo and vice-premier of Serb government, Neboisa Covic siad, according to Radio Jugoslavija. Belgrade did not manage to obtain the exchange of the prisoners, because it simply did not make it its aim. Covic has only to express hope for the Security Council’s assistance and that sooner or later “sentences of Kosovar Serbs will be reviewed, who were accused by partial Albanian justice.” In all, according to Covic, 17 Serbs were released, imprisoned in Kosovo. Though this figure is too small in comparison with the number of innocent Serbs who are still in Kosovo’s prisons and in conditions Kosovar Albanians cannot even imagine. In the meanwhile, the Serb government passes a resolution about cooperation with The Hague Tribunal. According to the report of the government’s press service, “Resolution about activities of Serb authorities connected with their engagements to cooperate with The Hague Tribunal will act till the law about cooperation with this international justice body is issued.” In other words, extradition will be “legally” realized till the necessary law is issued. The Serb authorities literally welcome demands of “international community.” But the fact, that with assistance and connivance of this same “international community”, Albanian criminals were released and will now help to “ethnically clean” Kosovo from Serbs and other national minorities, this is only “spillover cost.” Sergei Stefanov PRAVDA.Ru

Decanski monasi photograph: Kosovar Serbs

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/03/28/38954.html