Kosovo institutions will start functioning in northern Kosovo, announced Kosovo Minister without portfolio in the Kosovo government in charge for the dialogue with Belgrade, Edita Tahiri. Belgrade did not react on this statement, whereas politicians in the north are reserved and jurists are suspicious about deadlines that are mentioned.

Basic Court in Mitrovica North, which was due to commence with the work in October last year, will have jurisdiction over seven municipalities in northern Kosovo, four with Kosovo Serb-majority and three with Kosovo Albanian-majority. However, not all administrative procedures have been accomplished, meaning that agreed number of judges, prosecutors and administrative staff have not been hired yet.

The chairperson of the Kosovo Judicial Council, Nehat Idrizi, said that this process should be accomplished until the end of September or October. However, Judge Jelena Krivokapić believes that integrated judiciary will not commence with the work in the course of this year because not all hiring procedures are accomplished yet, and because the building where the court is meant to be located is not equipped yet.

Tahiri also said that beside the court, Kosovo ministries will open their offices in the north too, however the mayors of four Serb-majority municipalities in the north say that no one talked with them about it so far and argue that Tahiri’s statement is tendentious. They added that if the Kosovo government announcements are well-intended they should open their offices in other Serbian settlements in Kosovo as well, not only in the north.