The EU openly expresses concerns about the property in Justice: Where are European standards?

The Kosovo government in October this year adopted the concept of Vetting in justice, through which it aims to strengthen rule of law.

Vetting is the process of reevaluating the figures of prosecutors and judges, and is aimed at boosting their professional, fighting corruption and impacting organised crime, politics or other illegal elements in bringing justice.

The task force, founded by the Ministry of Justice, in the draft concept-documented document, has suggested <x0vetting with constitutional changes from an ad-hoc body and then continues the continued assessment under the Kosovo Judiciary Council and the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council”.

And this process, the European Union Office in Kosovo sees it as serious concern. So they have stated from the EU office in an answer to Telegrafi, saying such a process should be considered an extraordinary measure only after all other mechanisms have been exhausted.

The report on Kosovo with serious concern points to the possible re-evaluation of all Kosovo prosecutors and judges. Such verification process should only be considered an extraordinary last measure; meaning that it should be taken into account only after all existing means and mechanisms have been exhausted to ensure the integrity of court functionors and to fight corruption”, the EU office in Kosovo is said to be responding.

Furthermore, it is said that any verification process should also be in line with European standards.

Any verification process should also be in line with European standards. That's why the Venice Commission should assess it as soon as possible. This Commission is an advisory body and body of the Council of Europe in the area of constitutional law”, they have stated by the EU office.

Asked what the European Union's role in the Vetting process in Kosovo's justice will be, the EU Office for Telegraph has indicated that the EU has always supported and will continue to support all efforts to ensure that the people of Kosovo receive fair, efficient and impartial justice.

The last “We have heard many comments about the process, even regarding the EU's stance on this. The EU has always supported and will continue to support all efforts to ensure that the people of Kosovo receive fair, efficient and impartial justice. Tools to achieve it are as important as the ultimate goal -- this is exactly why for the EU, a complete verification remains a truly extraordinary measure. It is also important to avoid concerns in the functioning of the justice system. We will continue our dialogue with Government on this matter”, they say their response.

The European Commission's Progress Report has recently criticised the Kosovo Government's plan to make Vetting, assessing that this is “a serious source of concern”.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has voiced disagreement with this implementation of the European Commission, saying that the Vetting process “will be continuous and inclusive” and that “the implementation of vetoing does not even contribute to the efforts of Kosovo institutions to guarantee the rule of law and neither the country's European future”.