SPEAK Openly with the Prosecution in the city of Peja and Gjakova
Peja – Gjakova, June 20, 2011– Movement FOL in cooperation with the State Chief Prosecutor, have conducted the debate in Peja and Gjakova, within the campaign “Prosecutions closer to the citizen”. Participants in these debates have been representatives of civil society, media, and representatives of political parties and citizens of these municipalities. While the panel members present were State Chief Prosecutor of Kosovo, Mr. Ismet Kabashi, Mr. Agron Galani, Chief Prosecutor of District Prosecution in Peja, Mrs. Lirije Morina, Chief Prosecutor of the Municipal Prosecution in Peja and Mrs. Shpresa Bakija., Chief Prosecutor of municipal prosecution in Gjakova.
Petrit Zogaj of FOL Movement, thanking the participants said that “FOL Movement in collaboration with the State Chief Prosecutor had initiated the campaign” Prosecutions closer to the citizen “, through which both parties aim to increase information about the role and work of the prosecution, encourage citizens to cooperate with prosecutions, and discuss the work of prosecutions in the regions “.
State Chief Prosecutor, Mr. Kabashi said that the prosecution is very interested to be fully a transparent institution towards citizens, civil society and media, and for this we thank Movement FOL for its commitment to the realization of this campaign. According to him the year 2010 has been a successful year for the justice system in Kosovo, “Kosovo Assembly approved two of the most basic laws for the good functioning of the justice system and has completed the process of appointment and re-appointment of judges and prosecutors “. He added that “the prosecution in 2010 has managed to proceed 8.2% more cases than the previous year and this year there have been many more cases of reporting of citizens in the prosecution.” Prosecution will pay particular attention to cases dealing with corruption and organized crime. According to prosecutor Kabashi “within the Special Prosecution was created a task force to fight against corruption and in all district prosecutions is assigned a prosecutor who deals with the investigation of these cases. “Mr. Kabashi in Gjakova said that with the law on courts which has been approved last year, the municipality of Gjakova will have the Basic Court.
The debate continued with the Chief District Prosecutor in Peja, Mr. Agron Galani, who emphasized the fact that this prosecution lacks prosecutors and that in July this year will begin with completion of vacancies with new prosecutors. According to him “only in 2010 are pursued 600 criminal charges, of which 529 charges has been raised, 10 charges relating to corruption and economic crimes and municipal officials had been arrested, who were previously” untouchable “by the justice “. “Prosecution in Peja district is transparent and asked NGOs, media and citizens not to be reluctant to seek information and documents in this prosecution,” concluded his speech Mr. Galani.
Mrs. Lirije Morina, the chief prosecutor of the Municipal Prosecution in Peja said that “During 2010 we had approximately 1100 criminal charges for grown people and 60 for juveniles.” Municipal prosecution is faced with ongoing problems and difficulties, but according to her “it is a positive fact that only last year the prosecution has begun a normal cooperation with the state prosecution.” According to her the “nature of the cases processed by this prosecution mostly are dealing with aggravated thefts, theft of woods, injuries, fights, traffic accidents, taking bribes, etc..”.
In the debate held in Gjakova, the chief municipal prosecutor in this municipality Mrs. Shpresa Bakia welcomed the initiative of Movement FOL and prosecution that the prosecution should be more open and closer to citizens. She said that “the prosecution of Gjakova municipality faces a very special phenomenon where the percentage of juvenile cases is higher than in Peja municipal prosecution.”
After this, the discussion was opened to the participants and had questions and answers, between participants and panellists invited to this debate.