EU: Work of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers important to ensure justice for victims

The European Union calls on all actors in Kosovo and the region to exercise restraint following the first-instance verdict of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers against former KLA leaders, European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand said today, recalling the EU's long-standing support for the work of the institution to ensure justice for victims and their families.

Wigand stressed that the EU has taken note of the first-instance verdict of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, emphasizing that the decisions were reached in a fair and impartial judicial process based on individual criminal responsibility.

“The convicted persons have the right to appeal in a separate proceeding. The EU calls on all sides, actors in Kosovo and the region, to exercise restraint. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor's Office must carry out their mandate without interference. Justice must take its course, which is particularly important for the victims,” Wigand said at a press conference in Brussels.

The authorities in Kosovo, he said, have a responsibility to ensure the security of all citizens and communities in the territory of Kosovo.

“Let me recall the EU's long-standing support for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, an institution established within Kosovo's legal system by a decision of the Kosovo Assembly. Their work is important to ensure accountability and justice for victims and their families from all Kosovo communities, which contributes to reconciliation,” Wigand stressed.

He reiterated that it is of vital importance for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers to be able to operate without fear or intimidation and to ensure protection for victims and witnesses.

European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier recalled the position of European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos that court decisions must be respected and that these are first-instance judgments concerning individual responsibility, against which the convicted persons have the right to appeal.

Mercier told actors in the region that only “through reconciliation can they overcome divisions and embrace a common future within the EU.”