Questions covered included: Why has the promise to reduce the number of cases in courts been left unfulfilled, and who does Mr. Kuçi think is responsible?
Why did a police raid fail at Dubrava Prison? Who sent information to those in charge of the prison about the intervention? How is it possible that the minister is not informed of embezzlement related to tendering procedures, business trips and vehicles in his ministry? Who will the Minister hold responsible for violations in the ministry?
Why has the minister decided to take more control over the work of prison directors from January 2012?
Asked about the task of reducing the large number of cases in Kosovo’s judiciary, Mr. Kuçi said “this issue is not within my competence directly. What does depend on me is increasing the efficiency of work in the judiciary.” Further, he said that “as a ministry, we have increased the budget for 130 judges and 45 prosecutors.
Their salaries are acceptable now, and they have no reason to complain. The increased salaries help them to be motivated and reduce the large number of court cases.” He went on: “we have established the notary, mediation and arbitration system… This will relieve the courts from cases that can now be examined through these three systems,” he concluded. Meanwhile, regarding the police’s failure during a raid at Dubrava Prison, Mr. Kuçi said “in advance, I received information from EULEX.
The information alleged that some police officials had notified prisoners that they would be raided. Therefore, the raids have proven to unsuccessful…Knives, other weapons and narcotics, things of which the prisoners were suspected, were not found.”
When asked about money embezzled through tendering procedures, he said “I have no idea about this misuse [of funds]; however, I do not exclude the possibility that such a thing has happened.” Regarding tenders from the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Kuçi stated that “the same companies, for ten years in a row now, are still winning the tenders. This happens because, over this period, the staff in Public Procurement has not changed”.
In this interview, Mr. Kuçi has promised that, in 2012, the reforms throughout the justice system will be deepened; the Ministry led by him will be more transparent in tendering processes; and, among other things, measures will be undertaken to prevent abuse, as well as create the conditions within the justice system to reduce the number of cases.