Lunacek: Credibility test for EU enlargement in Balkans

VIENNA - The accusations of corruption within EULEX have to be investigated urgently, along with everything related to that, and the steps taken as the result have to be transparent, European Parliament (EP) Vice President and rapporteur for Kosovo Ulrike Lunacek said on Wednesday.

After a meeting with the EP head of civilian operations Kenneth Dean and director for Western Europe and the Balkans in the European foreign service Fernando Gentilini, she stated she was pleased that her request for an external investigation of these accusations had been accepted by EU High Reprentative Federica Mogherini, who appointed an independent legal adviser.

Lunacek demands a full investigation into the corruption claims, adding that the hearing held on Monday was not satisfactiry, because it was evident that the opportunity to investigate immediately similar cases from the past had been missed. That is why the EP decided to send a questionnaire to Mogherini while retaining the right to establish a parliamentary board of inquiry depending on Mogherini's response, Lunacek points out.

The credibility of EULEX is not the only thing in question here, but the EU's entire policy of enlargement in the Western Balkans, she stressed.

If EULEX does not regain the trust of the Kosovo people and EU members, the EU demands for the Western Balkan countries to establish the rule of law and battle corruption will become farcical, she stated.

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