With the new two-year mandate of EULEX in  Kosovo there will be less international officials in Kosovo institutions, whereas number and importance of local judges and prosecutors will be increased, said the EULEX head of mission Bernd Borchardt to Belgrade-based Blic.

Borchardt was due to visit Belgrade early this week and meet with Serbia’s leadership but the visit is postponed for next month. Meeting will take place due to the change of mandate of the mission in charge for rule of law in Kosovo.

Our so far goal remains, however the role will change because mission will work more within Kosovo institutions, and less for Kosovo’s needs. That means that EULEX judges and prosecutors will be incorporated deeper into Kosovo institutions, whilst the number and role of Kosovo ones, the Albanian and the Serbian, will be increased.

Will, let’s say in two years, all judges and prosecutors be Albanians and Serbs?
EULEX prosecutors will work in the Office of the Special Kosovo Prosecutor. International prosecutors will not initiate new cases any more, that will be responsibility of Kosovo prosecutors. Our judges and prosecutors will continue to work in northern Kosovo, as long as the agreement is not reached between Pristina and Belgrade on integration of judicial bodies. Then, I hope, judges from the mission will work together with judges from Serbia. I hope that in two-year time, Albanian and the Serbian judges will together provide the rule of law.

What is the first next step in the implementation of the Brussels agreement?
EULEX is more legal than political mission. We are not responsible for dialogue but for the implementation of parts of the reached agreement. I hope that judiciary will be the next one in dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade and we are ready to assist in the implementation of the agreement.

When is Oliver Ivanovic, for whom you have guarantees that he will be available, going to be released?
I can’t comment the ongoing case. As I already said, judges will decide about it. However, I must comment the ‘offer’ given by the Serbian government. I believe that their intentions were good, however such offers are deemed in the EU as political interference in the judicial system. Such interference is not acceptable. It is of essential importance for any judicial system to be separated from politicians. That goal is one of the main tasks in Kosovo.

Are the Serbs right when they announce a more massive arrests of Serbs based on the secret lists?
There were never and will never exist secret arrest lists in the north or anywhere else in Kosovo.

When will the Special Court for War Crimes in Kosovo start operating?
Kosovo Assembly has voted to create the Special Court in order to have trials based on indictments which could be raised in relation with the accusations from the Dick Marty’s report. That was politically courageous and important step in good direction. Office of the Special Prosecutor of Kosovo and the Special court, once it starts operating, will make decisions on future steps.