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Prishtina, 4 Mai 2004 – Kosovar dailies report that UNMIK Pillar IV head Nikolaus Lambsdorff suspended few days ago KTA deputy director Szabolcs Szekeres from duty. Koha Ditore claims that Lambsdorff made the decision while relying on instructions he received from UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri.
In a written statement, Szekeres said that according to his opinion the accusations that were made against him were unfounded. “I cannot wait to attend the meeting of the investigative board that Pillar IV will form to address this issue. I will fully cooperate with the board, and I am certain that the accusations against me will be dropped,” said Szekeres.
Koha Ditore quotes from a letter sent by Lambsdorff to Szekeres saying: “The SRSG gave me instructions regarding my rights as chairman of the KTA board to immediately suspend you from duty as KTA deputy director, while waiting for the end of the investigation on suspicion of insufficient management performance related to the oversight of POEs.”
Koha Ditore says that Szekeres is the second official of the KTA against whom disciplinary measures were taken by the office of the chief administrator. Before him, the UNMIK chief had asked Lambsdorff to dismiss the Italian Marie Fucci from KTA managing director.
Another daily “Kosova Sot” claims to have reliable sources saying the Szekeres was suspended by Lambsdorff with the instructions of Holkeri. The same sources do not exclude the possibility that the suspension of the director of the POE’s Szekeres has to do with the latest arrests of former officials from PTK.
“Zëri” says that Szekeres was suspended by Lambsdorff with the approval of Holkeri. Szekeres was considered to be in continuing opposition to the steps taken by Fucci. “Zëri” sources think that Szekeres is the victim of a compromise reached for the dismissal for KTA director Fucci, because he was a critic of her.
“Pavarësia” quotes Kris Litiere referring to a directive of the SRSG. But despite the statement from Litiere sources from UNMIK HQ deny that the suspension of Szekeres was done with the instructions of Holkeri.
ECIKS