The European Union office in Kosovo has voiced concern over the possibility that Kosovo’s Assembly will vote on Thursday for changes to the Law for Specialised Chambers.

The EU’s reaction comes at the time when the Commission for Legislation has discussed further steps regarding this law today, which had returned to the Assembly for review by President Justina Shiroka-Pula on 22 October.

At Commission Meeting, Democratic Party of Kosovo ( The PDK has demanded that it be voted for the president’s veto to collapse so that the law can enter into force in the form adopted on 6 October, and then be changed through amendments.

In its response, the EU has estimated that the proposed changes raise serious concerns over Kosovo’s international obligations and respect for the fundamental principles of rule of law.

The EU in Kosovo takes the announcement concerning the possible vote tomorrow in the Kosovo Convention on Change Law and the completion of the Special Chambers Law.

The changes raise serious concerns about Kosovo’s international obligations and respect for the fundamental principles of rule of law, in particular the independence of the judiciary, protection of victims and witnesses, continuation of procedural rights and effective accountability. The changes also raise concerns over their constitutionality.

Since the return of the Kosovo Assembly review law, we have been actively engaged in conveying our concerns and expectations to Kosovo authorities. This includes the need for preliminary consultations before any adoption of the law, in line with Kosovo’s international obligations, said in response.

Changes to the Law for Specialised Chambers were adopted in the Assembly on 6 October, about two weeks after the Special Court’s decision on a total of 81-year prison sentence of four former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders: Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselin, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi.

Through these changes, The PDK had proposed that the maximum sentence be limited to 15 years in prison, that complaints to special decisions at the Supreme Court of Kosovo be allowed, sentences could be imposed in Kosovo, and that the president could grant amnesty for persons convicted by the Specialised Chambers.

Source Layer: Dukeagini