“Directity in Kosovo under policy claws”

The American State Department's report on Human Rights in the world finds in the part of Kosovo a small number of problems, which “are testing processes in the country”.

During 2018, the problems highlighted in the report are corruption in government structures, threats and violence against journalists and members of minorities by law enforcement. The report also underlines the fact that <x0 structures of the judiciary remain <x1frill of political influences and that the system is over-ex2>, which negatively affects the defendants' right to a quick trial. The State Department in its analysis report notes that authorities in Kosovo often fail to implement court decisions including the Constitutional Court, especially in cases where the decision was in favour of minorities. Authorities in Kosovo after the report's publication have pledged to address all criticisms in the report, but do not agree with the part where the report underlines that “judicial structures remain the target of political impact”.

Tahiri: Prosecutors and Judges Work Independent

Kosovo Government Justice Minister Abelard Tahiri says that “has consistently called on prosecutors and judges to work independently and not submit to influences from outside”.

We have prosecutors and judges who are paid mostly in the region today, we have legal grounds far more powerful than in the past for hitting organised crime and corruption, and I think we have no reason to refrain and stop in the fight against this negative phenomenon. I have also asked prosecutors and judges not to fall prey, the victim of these political attacks that could be made by anyone, because today they have really good conditions”, says Minister Abelard Tahiri, who vows that the Ministry of Justice will take concrete steps towards preventing possible political influences in the justice system.

Reactions following the report by the UN have also been made by Kosovo President Hashim Thaci.

All impasses identified in this report should be taken seriously by Kosovo institutions and worked with greater dynamics in their improvement. We have to continue the fight of non-corruption and ensure the rights of citizens of all our communities, as the values upon which we have built our state”, the president wrote on his Facebook profile.

Critical: Justice Enriches Certain Officials

Non-government organisations and institutions dealing with monitoring the justice system say the justice system in Kosovo in many cases amnises specific officials within politics and interest groups, while in other cases persecute individuals appointed on behalf of the fight against corruption.

Ehat Miftaraj from the Kosovar Institute of Justice, (IKD) told DW, that Kosovo's “Institute for Justice during 2017, had warned institutions through reports published as a result of systematic monitoring of justice institutions, that Kosovo is heading towards the capture of state by policies and interest groups”.

The State Department's report proves that in Kosovo, even though there are good laws, the same are not valid and properly implemented for all its citizens. Politics and interest groups have successfully been able to politicise Kosovo's justice system and control it fully through prosecutors or judges who have appointed them to these positions through political influences”, says Ehat Miftaraj.

He underlines that the published “Report marks Kosovo's regregation to ensure rule of law, guarantee human rights and freedoms, and provide justice fairly, equal and independent to all”.

While political analyst Ramush Tahiri tells local media that the report's findings are disturbing democracy in Kosovo.

The “All outstanding issues are important and present a deadlock in democracy and the processes of rule of law and order in the Republic of Kosovo, especially attacks and incidents against members of communities, in this return and obstacles to the repatriation of Kosovo Serbs, property attacks, but also in property and church properties”, Ramush Tahiri says.

He says that “is shameful that this is happening 20 years after Kosovo's liberation”, while those who do these works remain unpunished.

The “This creates a gloom and a grim irrespection among the people of Kosovo because the shortcomings and findings in the (DASH) report are made by power carriers”, while their management is difficult because this political class has the support of the international factor and all for the sake of preserving calm and stability in Kosovo. / DW/