UNMIK Orders Wiping of Hard Disks From Kosovo Trust Agency’s Computers – Daily

Text of report by Kosovo-Albanian privately-owned newspaper Express, on 14 August

[Report by Arben Hyseni: "AKM's Tracks Disappear"]

Prishtina [Pristina], 13 Aug – On the orders of Paul Acda, former UNMIK [UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo] Pillar IV head, all computers and their hard disks have been removed and taken away from the Kosova [Kosovo] Trust Agency [AKM]. Express has found out about this initiative from its reliable sources. This operation started two days ago.

The computers were maintained and thought to be an archive or a data base for the Kosova Privatization Agency [AKP] to start work. The Board of the AKM, now the AKP, does not know anything about these machines. The place where these computers will be sent has not been revealed. It is not known what will happen to their hard disks, either.

Sources said that the hard disks are being wiped. AKM officials, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the wiping of the hard disks should have started with a decision by the AKP Board, because the AKP should be continuing to work with those records.

“The IT workers of UNMIK Pillar IV started withdrawing computers and wiping their hard discs in the AKM offices two days ago,” a source told Express.

He said that there was no written order or decision on this from senior UNMIK officials, only that of Paul Acda.

After denying and repudiating Express’s information about the removal of computers from AKM premises, UNMIK Pillar IV managers send their second answers a couple of hours later, admitting that the AKM computers and archive are being removed from the premises.

UNMIK Pillar IV Spokeswoman Methchild Henneke told Express the first time that it is not true at all that Paul Acda had ordered the removal of AKM computers from the offices. She described the reports as completely inaccurate.

A few hours later, the UNMIK Pillar IV spokeswoman admitted that Acda had ordered the removal of the AKM computers and archive. She assessed this as a part of the process of closing down Pillar IV.

“We are removing valuable Pillar IV equipment from the premises,” Henneke said. This, according to her, is being done because this organization has to count its equipment before it decides to give it away as a donation.

These computers and the archive cannot be given away as a donation, because they contain all the records of the entire privatization process and many other Kosova economic processes that were developed in this institution.

Paul Acda was chairman of the Kosova Trust Agency Board and head of UNMIK Pillar IV for 4 years. Before this, Acda also managed the Customs Service.

Originally published by Express, Pristina, in Albanian 14 Aug 08.

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