Rupel fined over Kosovo transcripts affair
Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel has been declared guilty of conducting an illegal investigation within the Slovenian ministry of foreign affairs, which he heads.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Wednesday, May 28, 2008
The probe was launched after transcripts of conversations Slovenian and U.S. diplomats had in late 2007, about plans for the declaration of Kosovo's independence, were leaked to the Ljubljana daily "Dnevnik".
The controversial report showed the key role Washington played in instructing moves to the European Union over the coordination of Kosovo's unilateral declaration in mid-February.
Rupel has been since January 1 the chairman of the Council of ministers of the European Union since Slovenia is holding the presidency of the EU in the first half of 2008.
Slovenia's public information ombudsman Natasa Pirc-Musar decided to fine both Rupel and the ministry's secretary general, Igor Jakic, with 1,660 euros each over a breach of legal proceedings.
Pirc-Musar says she made the decision after determining that the pair illegally processed personal data of the ministry's employees, and granted the job to do this to a company without putting together a proper contract.
Rupel reacted by asking for court protection, the ministry of foreign affairs said in Ljubljana.
A statement added that the minister found it "very strange" that the ombudsman had publicly commented on her decision that is not legally binding.
