The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will be opening its doors to the general public and media on Sunday, 25 September 2016 between 11.00 and 17.00, as part of the International Open Day organised by The Hague Municipality.Visitors can explore various points of interest within OPCW Headquarters and take part in once-in-a-lifetime activities, such as handling chemical weapons detection equipment, trying on inspection gear and being photographed with the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the OPCW for its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons. The Organisationās experts will also share with visitors the relevance of addressing chemical weapons, explain the different types of chemical weapons and their effects, as well as what the OPCW is doing to permanently eliminate chemical weapons.Other highlights of the day include, for the first time, a mini-film festival that will feature short documentaries from the OPCWās FIRES series – about individuals whose lives have been impacted by chemical weapons.Ā
Kosovo Specialist Chambers established in The Hague – building capacity for judicial activitiesĀ Ā
At the first press conference of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers held today in The Hague, Dr Fidelma Donlon, Registrar of the Specialist Chambers, has described the structure of the new institution, the substantial progress made in the establishment of the Specialist Chambers as well as future milestones. She presented the website of the Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutorās Office (www.scp-ks.org) and outlined the principles of the communication and outreach policy of the Chambers.
Dr Donlon explained that, with her appointment of Registrar of the Registry of the Specialist Chambers in April 2016, the institution of the Specialist Chambers formally came into existence.
“It is an honour and privilege to serve as Registrar of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. A well functioning Registry is one of the crucial components of an efficient court. I am dedicated to fulfilling the Chamber’s mandate and facilitating secure, independent, impartial, fair and efficient criminal proceedings before the Chambers,” she stated.
Dr Donlon acknowledged all who supported the establishment of the Specialist Chambers during the preparatory phaseā in particular the Kosovo authorities, the European Union, the EULEX, Third Contributing States and the Host State, the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Registry of the Specialist Chambers is responsible for the administration and servicing of the Specialist Chambers and all necessary and affiliated functions. It is by its nature independent and neutral, providing services to all organs and participants in the proceedings. It includes, among others, a Witness Protection and Support Office, a Defense Office, a Victimsā Participation Office, a Court Management Office, a Detention Unit, an Ombudspersonās Office and other various administrative and judicial support units.
āThe Law creates the framework for a robust witness protection measures, with full respect for the rights of the defence. We intend to implement the highest standards of protection for individuals who may be at risk on account of their participation in the judicial process. This is something we take very seriously,ā affirmed Dr Donlon.
The Registry is also a key actor in safeguarding the rights of any suspect or accused. Its Defence Office will administer a list of counsel eligible to practice before the Specialist Chambers as well as a system for representation of indigent accused. The rights of the accused provided for are consistent with the standards set by the European Court of Human Rights.
The Specialist Chambers provide for the participation in judicial proceedings of victims who have suffered harm as a direct result of a crime within their jurisdiction. Its Victimsā Participation Office will commence managing the application process for victims to participate in the proceedings and providing advice to such victims.
The selection process for positions of President of the Specialist Chambers and for a Roster of International Judges has just started and is undertaken by an independent selection panel according to the provisions of the Law adopted by the Kosovo Assembly. After the appointments of the President of the Chambers and judges, the work will commence on the adoption of a crucial legal document ā the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, necessary to conduct judicial proceedings.
The other vital process is related to the recruitment of the staff of the Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutorās Office, open to citizens of EU Member States and Third Contributing States. In the two Calls for Contribution that took place recently, almost 100 positions were open for applications, and a comprehensive recruitment process is underway.
Pending the ratification of the Host State Agreement by the Kingdom of the Netherlands before any judicial activities can start, an Interim Host State Agreement presently provides legal ground for a number of operational and administrative steps that are necessary at this stage.
Finally, Dr Donlon emphasized her commitment to transparent communication with the media and the public. āTodayās inauguration of the Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutorās Office tri-lingual web page marks the beginning of our direct communication with media and publicā, she concluded.
H.E. Jose de Bouza Serrano, Ambassador of Portugal.Msgr. Aldo Cavalli Apostolic Nuncio once again opened the doors of the Apostolic Nuntiature, following the Holy Mass, in honor of both incoming and outgoing diplomats in the Catholic community who have been posted to The Hague. The āWelcome-Farewellā gathering was held in honor of three diplomats and was organized by members from the community.
Despite the torrential rain which fell in the morning, the lovely chapel, on the grounds of the nunciature, was filled to capacity. The international community attending the Mass spilled out in the hall and down the stairs, nearly to the entrance in a clear sign that the summer holidays were coming to a close.
His Excellency, in a warm display of Italian hospitality, invited the community into the Nuntiature to a āLa Tavola Italianaā in his magnificent residence. By early afternoon, the skies had cleared and his guests of honor and many others lingered around the grand table while enjoying the buffet and engaging in lively discussions with one another until mid afternoon. Among those present were the Ambassador of Colombia, H.E. Juan JosĆØ Quintana and spouse, Maria Rosario Navia who came to bid farewell to Mauricio, from EuropolĀ and spouse, Diana, who will soon be departing to Columbia .
The Sunday fare included platters of piping hot Latin American āempanadasā, prepared by the ānuns of the Nuntiature.ā Claudia, of Claudiaās Catering, organized the farewell with permission from the Nuncio. Monserrat, the organist for the choir prepared a colorful presentation of fruit kabobs, Edith Bergansius, from the Hispanic Society of The Hague, Patricia Hollamby,Ā Ā and other members of the community contributed to the dessert table, which included, to everyoneās delight, a classic āthree layer chocolate mousse cake.ā All was arranged with simplicity among the feligreses of the church who gathered together privately for the occasion.
H.E. Jose de Bouza Serrano, Ambassador of Portugal, whoās devoted much time, energy and love to the ever growing community, will soon be departing. He especially contributed much time to the chorus and everyone, who regularly came together for the weekly celebration, greatly appreciate him for his service to the community. First Secretary Yovko Genov Pishtiyski from the Apostolic Nunciature will soon be serving the Holy See in the Far East. Both men will certainly be missed by the Catholic community in this city, whom have come to know them through the years.
In response to Msgr. Cavalliās warm and welcoming spirit, the local community continues to attract more and more people with each passing week.
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Mr David Schwendiman. Picture by US Department.On 01 September 2016, David Schwendiman, Lead Prosecutor of the EU Special Investigative Task Force (SITF), was appointed Specialist Prosecutor (Chief Prosecutor) of the newly established Kosovo Specialist Prosecutorās Office (SPO). Mr. Schwendiman was appointed pursuant to Article 35 of the Kosovo Law on Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutorās Office passed in August 2015.Ā His appointment marks the formal transition of the SITF into the SPO.Ā Upon being advised of the appointment, Mr. Schwendiman noted that it is a welcome and further step on the path to getting the institutions provided for in the Kosovo law up and running at the highest international standard.Ā āThe transition from the SITF to the SPO is seamless,ā he said.Ā āThe Specialist Prosecutor and the SPO will continue to carry on the investigation started by the SITF and we will continue our preparations for the next phase of our work.āĀ āI look forward to meeting people in the region and meeting with the media when it is appropriate in the coming weeks and months.āĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā
The Hague, 15 September 2016
Yesterday, using a coordination centre at Eurojust, a major international operation was carried out by authorities from Italy, Belgium and Spain, with the support of Eurojust and Europol, against an international organised criminal group (OCG) involved in large-scale trafficking of luxury cars stolen within the European Union and destined for locations in northern Europe and North Africa.
After several months of investigations, intense collaboration among judicial and police authorities of the concerned Member States, and the support provided by Eurojust and Europol at international level, todayās action led to the arrest of 28 suspects, searches of several businesses and homes, and the seizure of a large amount of documents and other assets.
The OCG, with key players in Belgium and Spain, was composed of Italian and Moroccan suspects, with a network of associates in several other Member States.
The modus operandi adopted by the OCG was highly sophisticated:
OCG members obtained identification data on the potential stolen vehicles and their owners from the Public Vehicles Registry in Italy;
such data were then used to create counterfeit documents to be used in Spain to obtain copies of the original keys to be later used in the thefts;
after the thefts of the vehicles, OCG members made a second inspection at the Public Vehicles Registry to obtain the data of vehicles similar to those that were stolen; and
false documents, including vehicle registration, license plates and insurance, were then created on the basis of legitimate vehicles, and these replaced the original documentation of the stolen vehicles. In this manner, the āclone vehiclesā were able to circulate in Italy and mislead possible police checks before finally being exported abroad.
Investigations began in Italy in 2015 by the Piedmont and Valle DāAostaās Street Police Compartment of the Italian State Police, under the leadership of the Public Prosecution Office of Turin, after victims reported a large number of stolen luxury vehicles. The Italian authorities identified patterns in the modus operandi and discovered important links with other countries. Independent investigations were carried out in Belgium and Spain.
At the end of 2015, the case was brought to the attention of Eurojust with an initial request to facilitate the execution of Italian rogatory letters towards Austria and Germany and to possibly coordinate relevant activities at EU level. Europol held an operational meeting in November 2015 to facilitate the exchange of information and coordination of the investigation with law enforcement officials from Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
A first coordination meeting was held at Eurojust in February 2016 with the participation of Italy, Belgium, Spain and France, during which issues related to judicial cooperation and coordination (including the possibility to transfer ongoing proceedings between some of the concerned Member States) were discussed. A second coordination meeting was held at Eurojust in May 2016 to prepare for yesterdayās action.
Two Europol analysts and technical equipment were deployed in Italy and Spain throughout the operation. The analysts provided on-the-spot analytical support and real-time access to Europolās databases. They also performed forensic examination of the seized items.
Figures at a glance:
Number of arrests carried out: 4 in Belgium, 6 in Spain and 18 in Italy
Number of premises searched: 8 in Spain and 21 in Italy
Assets seized: 40 stolen luxury vehicles, several computer devices and telephone handsets, shipping container documents, false IDs and driving licenses, EUR 25 000 in counterfeit currency and a large amount of other documents.
At the conclusion of the successful action day, Ms Teresa Angela Camelio, First Assistant to the National Member for Italy at Eurojust, said: āEurojustās role in this investigation has been essential. Beyond facilitating the exchange of rogatory letters, preventing conflicts of jurisdiction, and ensuring a clear division of tasks among key stakeholders, Eurojust acted as the unique platform for judicial cooperation at EU level while coordinating all activities until the end of the operation. Todayās action clearly demonstrates that the most sophisticated international criminal schemes can be dismantled thanks to excellent judicial and police cooperation at EU level.ā
Pictured King Juan Carlos of Spain and President Danilo Medina, Dominican Republic,by Spanish Royal Household.Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: The Caribbean state’s 53rd president,Ā Danilo Medina SĆ”nchez, was inaugurated on 16 August 2016 after having won the presidential (re)election on 15 May 2016.Ā President Medina SĆ”nchez is a scion of one the country’s founding fathers, namely Francisco del Rosario SĆ”nchez. He is president since winning the presidential election of 2012 for his first four years term running for theĀ Dominican Liberation PartyĀ (Partido de la LiberaciĆ³n Dominicana /P LD).Ā Inauguration of President Danilo Medina and visiting dignitaries. Picture by Spanish Royal Household.Amongst the plenty of attending dignitaries at the presidential inauguration were Spain’s King Juan Carlos, Venezuelan President NicolĆ”sĀ Maduro, Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa or Bolivia’s President Evo Morales.Ā For further information:Ā Presidency of the Dominican Republic:Ā https://presidencia.gob.do
By John DunkelgrĆ¼n.
As of this week The Hague, or to be precise Wassenaar, can boast yet another museum of true world class. On Sunday September 11th the Museum Voorlinden opened to the public.
Next to the existing villa on the Voorlinden estate a team from Kraaijvanger Architects designed a stunning building to display the art collection meticulously assembled over half a century by Rotterdam businessman Joop van Caldenborgh. The new building is surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful flower gardens designed by the internationally reknowned landscape architect Piet Oudolf.Wim Pijbes and Joop van Caldenborgh.
The first thing you notice when entering the building is the light. Natural light is filtered through over 100,000 little tubes and diffused by sheets of semi transparent material. The walls, all white, are at least five meters high which together with the light wooden flooring evoke a Zen-like feeling of rest. There are many room-high windows, glass walls rather, looking out onto Oudolfs gardens, giving a holistic sensation. They are placed so that from almost wherever you are in the museum, you can see the gardens.
When you drop off your coats or bags, you can look through a glass wall into the library, a large five or six meter high room with books from floor to ceiling. Though there is a landing halfway, it is designed so that you just see the books on evenly spaced shelves, an art installation 6in itself.
Joop van Caldenborgh explains Richard Serra.
There are rooms for exhibitions, for borrowed collections and for permanent displays (an enormous Richard Serra on its specially constructed floor would be prohibitive to move). The opening exposition is called Full Moon, 40 art works chosen from different times chosen from the Caldenborgh collection. It is designed to lure the spectator to look closely, observe and think. It works!
On the public opening day Mr. Van Caldenborgh, dressed exactly like the young staff and carrying an identity badge on a ribbon gave a short lecture. It was in an intimate lecture room lighted by an art installation in (on?) the ceiling by James Turrell.
His wife meanwhile in true Dutch fashion, arrived on her bike.
Outdoor garden
This museum is worth going to again and again. The collection is large enough for many special exhibitions and, there will be changing displays with works from other museums. Under the direction of Wim Pijbes, previously director of the Rijksmuseum, Voorlinden can be sure of an exciting future.
Without buying an entrance ticket to the museum proper, you can just enjoy the gardens or walk into the dunes that are part of the estate. Meanwhile, the original villa which is a copy of an English country house, has been made into a restaurant. Recognising the good taste of Mr. Van Caldenborgh, this too should prove to be a treat.
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On the main picture: “Cooking pots”. Photography By John DunkelgrĆ¼n.
Ms. Adam then explained the goal of her Musix For You and the VOET Foundation (āVariaties Op Een Themaā). There are a great many people in The Netherlands of Hungarian descent as over 5,000 fugitives found a safe home here after 1956. Ms Adam together with Mr. Martin van der Randen of VOET recognised a need to integrate Dutch and Hungarian culture and started the Zene (āmusicā in Hungarian) Festival.
A special treat will be an exhibition at the Frans Hals museum of 17th century Dutch masters from the SzĆ©pmĆ¼vĆ©szeti MĆŗzeum in Budapest.
Hollandse meesters uit Boedapest (12 November 2016 through 12 February 1217.
Ms Adam and Mr Van de Randen hope to make the ZeNe Festival an annual event and to cover more aspects of Hungarian culture.
Photography by Mrs Saskia Molema, Embassy of Hungary. 
