Justice ministry reacts to Vetevendosje charges

Vetevendosje today held a media conference, where two deputies Albulen Haxhiu and Victory Pacolli denounced local institutions for neglect in this area.

Below is the full response of the Justice Ministry:

The justice ministry expresses its failure to comply fully with the findings of the political subject, Vetevendosje Movement, expressed today on March 18th 2018 at a press conference called by this subject.

It is completely unacceptable the tendency that this political subject constantly tries to denigrate institutional efforts to empower rule of law and the literal functioning of the justice system in the Republic of Kosovo.

The justice ministry reminds Vetevendosje of the constitutional order on which the Republic of Kosovo functions, powers are completely separate and independent, of the performance assessment and accountability of which there are legal and constitutional instruments. Consequently, the Justice Ministry considers it unfair that the political deficits of this subject, as well as irresponsability to contribute to political issues such as the adoption of demarcation with Montenegro, are billed by the justice system of the Republic of Kosovo.

Once, for fair information of citizens, we inform you that the Ministry of Justice at the level of policy making has in time addressed all measures for empowering rule of law, fighting corruption and organised crime, and strengthening the integrity of the judiciary in general.

In this direction, the package of judicial laws through which the highest efficiency of the judicial and prosecutorial system will be provided has been drafted, bills that already await the adoption of the Assembly, where the Vetevendosje Movement is invited to make its contribution with the vote for these bills.

Moreover, with the insistence of the Ministry of Justice, the budget has increased for the Judicial Council and the Prosecutorial Council, to enable, among other things, increased the number of judges and prosecutors that will contribute to higher efficiency in dealing with and reviewing subjects.

In addressing the second criterion for combating corruption and organised crime, the Ministry of Justice has long addressed legislative policies by meeting the obligations of the European Reforms' agenda by drafting amendments to the Law for State Prosecutors, the Law for Prevention of Conflict of Interest during the exercise of public office, as well as the consolidation of the policy for the suspension of public officials in the event of the act of corruption or misuse of official office, this policy integrated into the framework of amendments in the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, very quick legislative projects that will be in the process of adoption.

The justice ministry informs citizens that references to empowering legislative policy in relation to the sequetration and seizure of illegally acquired property are not the invention of Vetevendosje, and that concrete steps are already being addressed to them.

In the legislative agenda of 2018, 19 bills will be drafted featuring the largest legislative entrepreneurship undertaken in Kosovo within a year by a government institution. In this agenda, the Ministry of Justice has also preceded the Anti-Corruption Laws Pack, which includes: The Anti-Corruption Agency Bill, the Bill for Proliferation of the Riches of High Public Officials, the Bill on Protection of Informators, and the Bill on Expanding Compassation of Illegal Property.

All these bills, already in the final phase, will soon be available to the Republic of Kosovo Assembly, an address at which the Vetevendosje Movement is able to contribute and express its willingness to contribute to empowering rule of law and the actual functioning of the justice system.