The paper reports on its front page that adopting the constitutional amendments and law on the Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office has opened the way for the start of negotiations with The Netherlands for one of these chambers to be based in The Hague. According to the paper, the negotiations will be done by the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and after reaching the agreement, it must be ratified in the Kosovo Assembly. The special court is not expected to become operational before September. The Netherlands Ambassador to Kosovo, Robert Bosch, confirmed that The Netherlands must first negotiate with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and after that with Kosovo’s authorities. The international community has praised Kosovo’s leaders for “putting an end to the culture of impunity”.
Special court foresees life imprisonment (Zeri)
The paper claims to possess a copy of the draft law on the Specialist Chambers which notes that the special court’s proceedings can last for years, and that the maximum sentence is life imprisonment, while the time served will be outside Kosovo. The law foresees that if suspects are acquitted, they have the right to seek compensation, whereas witnesses who refuse to cooperate will be jailed. Kosovo will provide financial aid to the defendants, and the EU will finance the Specialist Chambers.
Opposition to address Constitutional Court regarding special court (Koha)
The leaders of the opposition parties’ parliamentary groups said that they will send to the Constitutional Court the Amendment 24 that enables the establishment of the special court. According to them, there has been a procedural violation and the content of this amendment does not comply with the Constitution of Kosovo. Glauk Konjufca, head of the Vetevendosje Movement parliamentary group, said that legal experts from the three opposition parties are working on possibilities how to approach this issue and that they will send the matter to the Constitutional Court.
US State Department welcomes Kosovo’s decision on special court (Zeri)
The United States welcomed the decisions by the Kosovo Government and Assembly to pass the constitutional amendment and legislation required to establish a special court that can issue indictments and try cases, as appropriate, resulting from the evidentiary findings of the Special Investigative Task Force. “We commend Kosovo’s leadership for fulfilling Kosovo’s obligations to make this Special Court a reality. These steps were difficult, but necessary to move Kosovo forward on its path toward Euro-Atlantic integration,” reads a press release issued by the US State Department.
Gashi: Special court, convictions and life imprisonment (Epoka e Re)
In an interview for the paper, Pristina-based attorney Tome Gashi said that certain individuals that hold senior government positions and leaders of political parties could be among those accused by the special court. According to Gashi, the names of suspects would not be published before they are detained and sent to The Hague. He also noted that life imprisonment is foreseen for certain offenses.
War crimes department, still not operational (Koha)
The paper reports that for four months, Kosovo has failed to make operational the Department for war crimes consisting of three prosecutors. The process is at the stage of recruitment of prosecutors. The decision on the establishment of a special department within the Special Prosecution was taken by the Prosecutorial Council on 13 May this year. According to the paper, the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) has transferred around 50 cases of war crimes to local prosecutors.
Pristina and Belgrade today to discuss vehicle insurance (Epoka)
The Kosovo delegation led by Minister without portfolio Edita Tahiri will meet today in Brussels with Belgrade representatives to discuss the implementation of the Agreement on mutual recognition of vehicle insurance. The Kosovo delegation will also be meeting the President of the European Council of Bureaux (KBE) Jean Zenners.
Mustafa sends letter to Germany to declare Kosovo safe country of origin (Koha)
According to a report published in the German daily Handelsblatt, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, has sent a letter to the German member of the European Parliament, David McAllister, asking that Kosovo be classified under German law as a safe country of origin. The daily writes that McAllister has called on the German government to act swiftly in order to declare Kosovo as a safe country, a status which would make it much more difficult for the people of Kosovo to be granted asylum in Germany.
