Kosovo is expected to change Constitution to carry out self-operation, Venice Commission opinion in March

The main topic of the Venice Commission rapporteurs' visit to Kosovo was the Vetting reform that has been launched by the Ministry of Justice.

“The questions are mainly related to the concept-document, option 5 that we have recommended, and draft constitutional amendments”, Genc Nimoni, chief of cabinet at the Ministry of Justice, has declared.

The ministry is awaiting the Venice Commission's recommendation, due in March. “This reform is not political, but is intended to have independent judges and prosecutors, whose mission is responsible, not for power in those positions, Nimoni added.

Organisations from civil society that have been part of the working groups for Vetting estimate that constitutional changes are necessary for the realisation of this process. There should be no plan B for the Justice Ministry. Vetting without constitutional changes should not be called the Vetting at all and could not achieve the goal that IKD and civil society have lobbied for years”, Ehat Miftaraj of IKD. Meanwhile, Arton Demhay from the organisation “Arise” says that “if we start a Vetting process and we come to what some prosecutors and judges do not pass this process and must be removed from the system, our Constitution has determined when you can get their mandate”.

So according to him, these changes are necessary, although we can make a Vetting, we conclude that some judges and prosecutors have not gone through that process, but that the mandate cannot be taken because the constitution forbids it.

The justice ministry has decided that Vettingu will be made with constitutional changes, for which 2/3 is required in the Assembly, including those from communities. / RTK/