Embassys criticise Kosovo's war crimes strategy: Only victims treated from Albanian community ranks

In a response to Dukagjin, this embassy has expressed concern that the principle of comprehensive approach has not been reflected fully in the strategy.

They have said that this document only focuses on victims from the Albanian community's turn.

“We commend the Kosovo government for adopting the first strategy for transitional justice. This marks the first step towards addressing past injustices, and particularly war crimes, this important step towards reconciliation a process that remains unfinished 25 years after the Kosovo conflict. Considering the importance of this task, expectations are great. However, since this strategy underlines a comprehensive approach and with the victims in the centre, we are concerned that this principle has not reflected fully in the strategy. We join the criticism of the EU and civil society that the strategy, if examined in detail, focuses solely on victims from the ranks of the Albanian community, which undermines the broader involvement that would be necessary, especially in the historical context presented in the strategy. It is essential now that these principles remain not merely aspiring but actively integrated into implementing the strategy,” is said by the German Embassy in Kosovo.

Critical to this strategy were the embassies of other states, such as Switzerland's, expressing concerns that this document sets the priority in crimes only against an ethnic community.

Another issue that has raised the German embassy in Kosovo is the lack of a mechanism for compensation of crime victims, which has also been requested by Specialised Chambers in The Hague.

“A critical aspect of this is establishing a mechanism for compensation to victims, as requested by Kosovo's Specialised Chambers. Such a mechanism is vital for a truly victim-oriented approach, especially when perpetrators do not have financial means to realize compensation. This need becomes even more evident with the fact that, in parallel, the accused receive substantial legal assistance from the state of Kosovo, despite the financial need. The Kosovo Institute for Justice and the Association of Civil Victims and Civil Victims of War, just as the EU Progress Report for 2017 highlighted the issue, the latter saying that “is essential for Kosovo to address this inequality in treatment. German Foreign Minister and German ambassador have repeatedly stressed this sorrow during their discussions with the Kosovo government. We encourage Kosovo's government for concrete action companies to establish this compensation mechanism, thus obviously advancing the protection and preservation of rule of law,” is said by the German Embassy in Kosovo.

The same is said by the Kosovo Institute for Justice, which adds that Kosovo institutions should take immediate action to do so.

“It would have to have political will from the government that I repeat to comment from international partners that their comments are based on expertise and experience in various states, on the other hand it is true that in Kosovo there is no mechanism that would offer financial or compromise assistance, victims in The Hague cases,” said Ehat Mifttaraj, IKD director.

The strategy, approved by the government at this year's June 13th meeting, while for the criticism of the German Embassy but also civil society, the Ministry of Justice has not responded to television.