EU police raid Kosovo minister's home

(PRISTINA) - EU police have raided the home of Kosovo's transport minister and his ministry as part of a probe into multi-million euro road construction deals, officials said on Thursday.

"EULEX police have been carrying out searches in the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications as well as in private residences of persons connected with this ministry," the EU mission (EULEX) in Kosovo said in a statement.

The searches were "part of an ongoing investigation led by the Special Prosecutor's Office in Kosovo ... in connection with several tenders related to the construction of roads in Kosovo in the period 2007-2009," it added.

Transport Minister Fatmir Limaj himself confirmed that his property had been raided, telling reporters: "They probably saw or were looking for something that could help them in their activities and they were doing their job."

Local media reported that EULEX investigators searched at least three other locations belonging to construction companies, which won road building tenders.

Limaj was a prominent commander of the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Amry (KLA) which fought Serbian security forces in the 1998-99 war. He was indicted by a UN tribunal for war crimes but was cleared in 2005.

The 1,400-strong EULEX police mission in Kosovo is mandated with supporting the Kosovo police forces maintaining the rule of law. It can step in and act independently to use its corrective powers in cases where political influence is undermining the the rule of law.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008, despite fierce opposition from Belgrade.

The move has been recognised by 65 countries, including the United States and most European Union members, but not by Serbia which insists Kosovo is a breakaway province.