“Kosovo judiciary shows weaknesses”

EULEX says that the trial of Albin Kurti, which had been delayed eight times, shows weaknesses which had to be removed from the Kosovo judiciary. “The shortcomings have been obvious during the trial unfortunately still show weaknesses which must be eliminated from the domestic institutions of rule of law if Kosovo is to reach European standards,” the EU mission in Kosovo said. “Kosovo judiciary shows weaknesses” When asked by Beta news agency whether the fact that Kurti’s trial had been delayed so many times showed the failure of EULEX as well, which had come to Kosovo 16 months ago in order to establish the rule of law and improve the work of thejudiciary, police and customs, EULEX spokeswoman Kristiina Herodes said that the main responsibility was with the local judiciary system. “EULEX is in Kosovo working together with the local judiciary and the main responsibility lies with them,” Herodes said and repeated that Kosovo police was in charge of bringing Kurti to the court. She also stressed that the trial chamber consisted of a mixed team of judges, including two EULEX judges. The prosecution is represented by the Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office (KSPO). Kurti, the leader of the radical ethnic Albanian Self-Determination Movement, is accused of participating in a group which committed crime, obstruction of officials performing their duties, and incitement to violence in February 2007, when two persons were killed and more than 80 were injured in protests. The trial has been delayed for April 28 because neither the accused nor his defense counsel appeared in the courtroom yesterday. Meanwhile, 64 Kosovo non-governmental organizations are collecting signatures calling for the case against Kurti to be dismissed, and say they have gathered more than 175,000 signatures of residents of Kosovo, southern parts of central Serbia, but also neighboring countries: Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania. Ten days ago the case was debated by the Kosovo assembly in Pristina, which received the request and the signatures from the NGOs.

“Kosovo judiciary shows weaknesses”

When asked by Beta news agency whether the fact that Kurti’s trial had been delayed so many times showed the failure of EULEX as well, which had come to Kosovo 16 months ago in order to establish the rule of law and improve the work of thejudiciary, police and customs, EULEX spokeswoman Kristiina Herodes said that the main responsibility was with the local judiciary system.

“EULEX is in Kosovo working together with the local judiciary and the main responsibility lies with them,” Herodes said and repeated that Kosovo police was in charge of bringing Kurti to the court.

She also stressed that the trial chamber consisted of a mixed team of judges, including two EULEX judges. The prosecution is represented by the Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office (KSPO).

Kurti, the leader of the radical ethnic Albanian Self-Determination Movement, is accused of participating in a group which committed crime, obstruction of officials performing their duties, and incitement to violence in February 2007, when two persons were killed and more than 80 were injured in protests.

The trial has been delayed for April 28 because neither the accused nor his defense counsel appeared in the courtroom yesterday.

Meanwhile, 64 Kosovo non-governmental organizations are collecting signatures calling for the case against Kurti to be dismissed, and say they have gathered more than 175,000 signatures of residents of Kosovo, southern parts of central Serbia, but also neighboring countries: Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania.

Ten days ago the case was debated by the Kosovo assembly in Priština, which received the request and the signatures from the NGOs.