24 maj 2011
24 May 2011
The Head of EULEX, Xavier de Marnhac, has visited the site near the village of Zhilivodë/Žilivoda where EULEX experts from the Department of Forensic Medicine (DFM), in cooperation with the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), are conducting a site assessment to determine whether or not it is the a site of a mass grave.
During the visit, de Marnhac expressed his commitment, and that of EULEX, in doing their utmost to continue the search for the missing.
“I want to stress the importance of doing this job. I know what it means and how sensitive it is for the families of the missing, and I think that this site that I visited today simply showsd that EULEX remains strongly committed in trying to solve some of these pending cases”, said de Marnhac.
The operation at Zhilivodë/Žilivoda is expected to last around four months. The work was started in August last year.
De Marnhac thanked the KSF representatives who are providing some of the means and resources for the excavation of the site, adding that EULEX has the full support of the government for the operations that are being conducted in Kosovo.
“After so many years it is getting more difficult, but this is not an excuse of not doing what we can do”, said de Marnhac adding that EULEX takes the issue of the missing very seriously.
Since EULEX experts joined DFM in December 2008, the department has conducted more than 270 field operations. More than 135 missing persons have been found.
Video and photos from the visit can be downloaded at the following link:
