Borchardt: No secret indictments against Serbs

BELGRADE - Head of the EULEX mission in Kosovo Bernd Borchardt stated that there are no secret indictments against Serbs charged with war crimes committed in Kosovo.

Speculations about secret indictments and lists containing 5,000 names are completely unfounded and I categorically claim that there are no such lists, Borchardt said in an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Novosti and added that investigations are underway in Kosovo which cover the cases of individuals of all ethnicities.

He said that individuals under investigation were informed about the proceedings when they were interrogated as suspects and when enough evidence was gathered for founded suspicion against them.

Borchardt said that EULEX does not discriminate on ethnic grounds when pressing charges.

The EULEX stand is that everyone is protected by the law and that the law applies to all, and nobody can be charged without compelling evidence or valid testimonies, Borchardt said and added that EULEX calls on anyone who possesses any information about committed crimes to contact EULEX prosecutors.

Speaking about the mission's mandate, Borchardt said that the talks between Kosovo, Brussels and EU member countries on the issue are underway.

EULEX mandate expires in June 2014 and the talks between Kosovo, Brussels and EU member countries are underway in Brussels, Borchardt said and added that since the talks are underway, he does not want to speculate about the outcome.

Nevertheless, he said that it can be assumed that EULEX will continue existing but would enter a transition period during which additional jurisdictions would be distributed among EULEX and the Kosovo government.

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