UNMIK/PR/1193
PRISTINA - UNMIK objects to the public statements made by a Kosovo lawyer on 2 June 2004 with reference to the investigations into the tragic incident of 16 March 2004 when three children from Cabra village drowned in the Ibar river in Mitrovica.
After the investigations into the incident had been completed, UNMIK published the report in its entirety.
The prosecutor assigned to the case met the families of the victims on 28 April 2004 and explained to them the steps he had taken and findings of the investigations. At the same time he also informed the families of their right to initiate a subsidiary prosecution under the law within 8 days, if they were not satisfied with the findings of the public prosecutor. No such step was taken by the families within the stipulated period.
UNMIK regrets that rather than seeking recourse to the judicial process, the lawyer now representing the families has instead chosen to launch a personal attack on the public prosecutor.
UNMIK deplores this unprofessional behaviour that does not serve the larger public interests and undermines the ‘rule of law’ in Kosovo.