To uphold the complaint

 

Press Council of Kosovo, in its meeting held on 02 December 2008 adjudicated on the complaint of Mr. Paul Acda, former DSRSG and head of UNMIK Pillar IV against “Express” newspaper in relation to an article published by this newspaper entitled “Money without working” which alleges that “former international officials of Pillar IV, have decided to continue their own payment for an additional six months, although the pillar no longer exists”.

 

The newspaper alleges that after the definitive finalisation of activities of UNMIK Pillar IV at the end of October 2008, Paul Acda and two other international officials have issued an odd regulation for receiving  salaries without working for additional six months, until march 2009.               

 

Paul Acda says that the operational part of Pillar IV has terminated its activities on 30 June, and the financial part ended on 31 October 2008 and since than no one is receiving any other salary.    

 

“Express” failed to mention any identifiable source for its allegations and had also failed to contact the representatives of European Commission in Prishtina or Brussels as they financed Pillar IV, in order to verify its article. Thus, this constituted violation of Article II, paragraph 1 and 2 of the Press Code of Kosovo.   

 

Press Council has contacted the representative of the European Commission in Prishtina, and he also said that after 31 October, no international staff from former Pillar IV had received any personal income based on the Agreement between UNMIK, European Commission (represented by ECLO) and Pillar IV.       

 

Paul Acda also complains that the newspaper in the respective article mentions the nationality (Serb) of the wife of one of his associates, Mr. Lauritzen. Acda says that “this may have been mentioned with the purpose of inciting ethnical hatred”.   

 

When reviewing this part of the complaint, the opinion of the Press Council is that a mere citation of a nationality of a person without any reason that has nothing to do with the context of the topic is superfluous and non-professional, however, it may not be qualified in any way as “racist and a case that incites ethnic violence” as stated by Paul Acda. It is the opinion of the Press Council that this part of the complaint does not constitute a violation of Article III of the Press Code of Kosovo, and did not incite any criminal or violent act.       

 

Thus Press Council, adjudicated as mentioned in the ruling of the present Adjudication.