German Embassy: Concern over amendments to Law on Specialist Chambers

The German Embassy in Pristina said it was “deeply concerned” about the amendments to the Law on the Specialist Chambers, adding that the institution was a judicial body whose independence must not be jeopardized.

“The Specialist Chambers are an independent judicial institution established under Kosovo law and supported by the Constitution of Kosovo. Their purpose is to ensure accountability and justice for victims from all communities in Kosovo. In order to achieve this objective, their independence must be fully respected,” the Embassy said in a response to Radio Free Europe.

The Embassy stressed that it supported the EU’s position on the amendments to the law.

“We call on Kosovo to comply with its international obligations regarding the safeguarding of the judicial independence of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, as well as its obligation to ensure accountability and provide justice for victims and their families from all communities in Kosovo,” the Embassy told Kosovo Online.

The Kosovo government has not yet commented on concerns expressed by international actors regarding the amendments to the law, while Perparim Gruda, an official of the opposition PDK, stressed that Kosovo was not violating its international obligations.

The approved amendments narrow the jurisdiction of the Specialist Chambers in terms of criminal offenses, temporal scope and territorial jurisdiction, cap prison sentences at 15 years, and provide for the transfer of cases and for sentences to be served in Kosovo.