Will the justice agreement between Kosovo and Serbia be realised?

The Brussels Agreement for Justice between Kosovo and Serbia, responsible for the integration into Kosovo's system of Serbian judges and prosecutors from the country's north -- the agreement, which was reached in February 2015 -- will begin to be implemented on 17 October -- is confirmed Thursday in Brussels.

In northern Kosovo, they consider this to be good news, but unrealistic news that it can be realised on October 17th.

Jelena Krivokapiq, judge at the Constitutional Court in northern Mitrovica, speaking to Radio Free Europe, expresses the opinion that the court cannot become functional by 17 October.

The “cannot be expected that integrated justice will be able to begin with judgments, on October 17th. But until then some matters can be done, some organizational jobs, which are necessary”, Krivokapiq says.

She adds that in that sense, it is about regulating rights related to the issue of judges and prosecutors' labour relations in the Republic of Serbia, and that October 17th is set as the date until preliminary problems must be resolved.

Dusan Radakovic, executive director of the non-governmental organisation “Centre for representation of democratic culture”, tells Radio Free Europe that the issue of pensions of judges and prosecutors will certainly be resolved in Serbia.

To get those guaranteed pensions, the Law on Serbia's pensions must be changed and Serbia's Constitution must be changed. This is impossible to do in the next few years and leave for a month and a half. This will be a regulation. How judges and prosecutors will accept it, I don't know that, because the regulation can be interrupted in the next government. But, of course for now, that's how it's going to be”, Radakovic says.

Although considering good news the start of implementing the justice agreement, however, Radakovic expresses his doubts that it could happen by October 17th, due to lack of infrastructure, but also because Serbian judges and prosecutors, who are needed integrate into justice system The Kosovo Judiciary Council has not passed the preparation.

I think it's hard enough to achieve this. Good information is that it's working on this and that confession is being started and that there's movement in this direction, but I'm skeptical of realisation”, Radakovic says.

However, Judge Krivokapiq considers that with the start of the Judiciary work, rule of law in northern Kosovo will not be quickly improved.

This will not happen because a new situation will arise, where citizens again, but neither judges and prosecutors will be able to adapt. But later, this will certainly be done”, Krivokapiq points out.

Mitrovica citizens The north consider it good news that the justice agreement will start to be implemented, as has been warned, on October 17th.

Petar Zivkovic says this has had to happen in a long time.

This was supposed to be weather, because here we have theft, murder, torture. In a nearby village here, a poor man was robbed of his livestock. There is nothing to live with now”, Zivkovic says.

But Dusan Jovanovic does not expect any improvement in the area of rule of law in northern Kosovo:

I think there will be no improvement now or after 10 years”.

But, otherwise does Sandra Milovanovovic think:

“pries for 17 October to start with work and start with a review of the subjects, which have long been pending”.

With the implementation of the Agreement on Justice, it is pre-arranged to erase Serbian courts and prosecutors in Kosovo and Serbia, which so far have been dealing with subjects from Kosovo territory.

For the Mitrovica region, a Constitutional Court is envisioned, which will operate in two objects. The prosecution will operate in an object in the north. Judges and prosecutors will work together and will not be divided on ethnic grounds. The Court of Appeals will also be located north.

At the helm of the prosecution in Mitrovica will be an Albanian, meanwhile at the helm of the Appeals Court will be a Serb. Currently, the Constitutional Court of Mitrovica is operating in Vushtrri, while courts in northern Mitrovica are operating under Serbia's justice system.