Politics seen as halting reforms in justice

Ehat Miftaraj, executive director of Kosovo Institute for Justice, says court and prosecutorial system in terms of operation, operation and accountability is completely independent of politics, but according to him, in practice he has failed to maintain independence.

The judicial and prosecutorial system has failed to preserve this independence, bringing the system into a state where politics practically control the justice system and turning the same into a branch of executive power”, he says.

This situation, according to Miftaw, has influenced the justice system in Kosovo not to fulfill the mission in fighting organised crime and corruption, Treating citizen matter in civil and administrative affairs within reasonable time terms.

“This has brought about a situation where the justice system has turned into the greatest violator of human rights and freedoms”, Miftaraj says.

Given the division of powers, Miftaraj says politics would have to stay away from the justice system.

This is likely to be achieved if there is political will and good purpose in building a justice system that objectively has its citizens and rights and in no way the interests of politics and interest groups. In the phase in which Kosovo is found today, this cannot be achieved without a veting process which should clear the justice system of corruption, non-professionalism and policy”, Miftaraj said.

Serbian Loja, executive director of the Group for Jury and Political Studies, told Radio Free Europe that political influences in the justice system are failing Fighting Corruption In Kosovo, causing, according to her, further impasses in the mechanism. All this situation, she points out, has influenced public confidence in the justice system to decline significantly.

We consider that the justice system in Kosovo suffers from political influence, and that remains one of the main concerns in reforming processes and the integration process. The past government has taken no concrete steps in the direction of a content reform in the rule of law, and we have subsequently had no concrete case in fighting corruption and improving justice sector performance”, she said.

Loxha said country justice system has numerous problems. In addition to profound reforms, according to her case of verification, or as it is otherwise known as <x0vetting”, it is very necessary.

“Consistent that the self-servation remains the only means by which the justice system can be reformed, that is, to be cleared of individuals who are politically and not professional and who have no purity of the image and to grow the level of trust in these institutions, increasing performance and efficiency of the justice system”, Loxha said.

Arton Demhay from the Organisation for Democracy, Anti-Corruption and Dinjitia arise, says society's expectations for Reform in the Justice System They're big from the next government. But, according to him, to succeed in a reform of justice, measuring the performance of prosecutors and judges is more than necessary.

Currently, in the justice system sector, the issue that is mostly fraught is the question of measuring the performance of prosecutors and judges. While there are legal provisions and at the same time there are commissions within the Prosecutorial Council and the Judicial Council, which had to deal with the measure of performance, this is not happening”, Demhasaj said.

In studies by various local organisations, Kosovo's justice system reportedly needs to change to restore citizens' trust.

Ombudsman Hilmi Jashar, in an interview for Radio Free Europe, has stated that Courts are the biggest offenders Human rights.

Currently in Kosovo, the number of subjects in the proceedings, according to him, It's about 200 grand, While the length of the court cases, Jashar stressed, he extends the minimum 5-year term, which, according to him, is contrary to any standard.