Prishtina, June 7, 2013
At the meeting of the Government Commission on Missing Persons (GCMP), the Chairman of the GCMP informed the participants about the course of the hearing of the Working Group on Missing Persons (between the delegation of Pristina and Belgrade, with the mediation of the International Committee of Red Cross), held on May 31, 2013, at the Government building, in particular the preparations and requirements set by the Pristina delegation during the meeting, emphasizing the re-submission of the request for the ‘Raska case ‘.
About the session of the Working Group on Missing Persons and Publication of Book on Missing Persons (5th edition), the participants in the meeting were informed by Chair of the Working Group, from the International Committee of the Red Cross, Ms. Lina Milner, which among other things expressed her gratitude to the Government Commission on the event holding the session of the Working Group on Missing Persons and re-emphasized the commitment of both parties to clarify the fate of missing persons, seeking continuous efforts in order to provide new information that could contribute to the process.
Regarding the requests presented at public hearing of the Working Group on Missing Persons, participants were briefed in more detail by the GCMP Head of Unit, Mr. Chris Race, who re-emphasized the requirement for ‘the case of Raska, with three alleged locations in the region’ (along with a detailed report on the steps to be taken, prepared by experts of EULEX), then data on 32 excavated sites from the period of 01.11.2012 – 30.05.2013, where on this occasion remains of 31 persons were exhumed. Also, according to Mr. Race, Pristina delegation on this occasion, after a thorough review of all cases of unidentified remains, presented a Summary Report, held under the auspices of the Department of Forensic Medicine, an activity carried out by highly professional experts of EULEX, according to the Government of Kosovo request and strategic plans of EULEX. A new request, which emerged at this meeting, was the submission of the request to institutions of Serbia, to start proceedings in order to initiate the case Svirca, Municipality of Medvedja.
At this meeting, the members of the Government Commission on Missing Persons gave approval to the initiative presented by Mr. Luigj Ndou, Political Representative of the Director General of the International Commission on Missing Persons, on designing a ‘Guide for access on rights of the families of missing persons’ under the applicable legislation.
During the meeting, the participants agreed that the Government Committee would initiate the procedure for the preparation of a Regulation for the Central Registry and the drafting of a sub-legal act in support of Family Associations of Missing Persons.
Even with this case, the families of missing persons presented the concerns of family relatives about respecting their rights guaranteed by law, and the overall process of shedding light on the fate of missing persons. Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr. Daut Xhemajli, answered their questions as well and once again reiterated the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to illuminate the fate of missing persons and continue to keep it a priority for the state and in particular for the Ministry of Justice.
At the end of the meeting, the representative of Family Associations of Missing Persons in GCMP, described the request of family relatives to address the European Parliament to adopt a resolution with particular emphasis on the active involvement of the EU in the process of illuminating the fate of missing persons, and in particular that this issue be incorporated in the dialogue mediated by the EU and exert pressure on the Serbian side to provide data on the fate and whereabouts of persons who are still registered as missing. Present at this meeting, along with members Commission, were also representatives of Associations of Relatives of missing persons and representatives of institutions / organizations, local and international bodies involved in the fate of missing persons during the war.
Last modified: July 31, 2022