Haxhiu: We close this mandate

The task force for drafting the concept-document for the property process on Thursday held its first meeting, which will have four months to complete this document. The justice ministry, as well as the connoisseur of the justice system, say it is enough four months to complete a concept of document that would address the property.

Justice Minister Albuna Haxhiu says the working group founded by it will have up to four months to draw up the concept of self-document.

It says that the working group can finish the job even earlier, but that it claims that they have deliberately allowed more time for members of the group not to feel pressured.

“I believe that the four-month term of the concept is enough for the fact that there have already been discussions, there are already documents where they just have to agree to finalise or be included in the concept of document. So if there are circumstances where the processing group needs an additional mandate, it will definitely not prevent it, because in the end it is the interest for this process to be completed as quickly as possible. But as far as I'm aware of the challenges we've been discussing for four months if it's hard work and will certainly address”, she says.

Despite the challenges they may have along the way, Haxhiu expressed optimistic that the property in the justice system would be closed during this governing mandate.

“I am very optimistic that the property in the Republic of Kosovo in the justice system will be completed within this mandate and that we will certainly work in this direction. Despite the challenges we may have along the way, because someone can even prevent this issue, but I believe this process is good for the citizens of Kosovo. Its main goal is to restore the citizens' trust and for Kosovo to be rule of law, therefore even any obstacles that may come our way can be overcome by will and professionalism”, Haxhiu says.

As for the processing group, Haxhiu says it is comprehensive and that members there have been proposed by the institutions represented in this group. It also points out that part of the group are also representatives of foreign countries' embassies in Kosovo, of which it said they have offered their help even through experts.

The start of work on drafting the concept of self-document calls the very good news Ehat Miftaraj, director of the Kosovo Institute for Justice, which says that for drafting the same is enough four months.

He says that after completing the functional revision of the system of rule of law, there are sufficient analysis that can serve for involvement in the concept of self-document.

“For concept-document I believe it is enough (4 months), because the Justice Ministry has fortunately completed a functional review of the law-rule sector, only this review of the law-rule sector has done a subtle analysis of almost all areas related to the judicial system and the prosecutorial system, including from integrity, professionalism, approach to justice, accountability, transparency, the fight against organised crime, corruption, almost all areas related to the justice system in Kosovo. So it's not that the property group will start working from zero, there's materials, there's analysis, there's concrete recommendations, so all it needs is that this abundant documentation that has it analysed and come up with concrete attitudes about how the property process should end”, he says.

The task force for drafting the concept of self-document will be led by the Ministry of Justice, which also has representatives from the Judiciary Council, the Prosecutorial Council, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other public institutions, civil society. A member of this working group will also be from the Parliamentary Commission for Legislation, but has not yet been appointed a member.