ECIKS - News and analysis about Kosovo Economy in English

Prishtina, 25 May 2004 - Yesterday Kosovo Government, in cooperation with the European Agency for Reconstruction, has announced the strategy to fight corruption, Koha Ditore reports. In its announcement Prime Minister Rexhepi said „Kosovo is a model for the region and it constitutes an exception among the countries of the former Yugoslavia who have such a strategy, as it also involves the civil society in this process. Therefore, the Government will do all it can to implement this strategy”.

A representative of the civil society was not so positive about the strategy. Civil society representative Jetmir Bala criticized the international administration in Kosovo and local institutions for delays in compiling this strategy. He also added that some leaders of institutions, who have tasked themselves with fight against corruption, are already corrupted.

Media reported that all participants agreed that this strategy should not remain only on paper but should be implemented as soon as possible. The last speaker of this presentation was the President of the Supreme Court of Kosovo Rexhep Haxhimusa who said that the Head of Pillar I should pay more attention to the judicial system. „With little government, little judiciary and little legislative power there no steps forward can be taken and corruption cannot be fought. Either we constitute complete bodies or none at all“, Haxhimusa is quoted as saying.

The Head of Pillar I Jean-Christian Cady was quoted as saying: „Corruption is a cancer that destroys the society, therefore nothing should be spared to fight this phenomenon aggressively, with all legal means possible“.

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