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Fostering women’s response to domestic violence

Women’s Response to Domestic Violence and Fostering Institutional and Civil Society Organizations response to combat this negative phenomenon were discussed on Monday, 20 December 2021, at a roundtable organized by the EU-funded project EUKOJUST, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice. Officials from the Government, the Assembly, and the Civil Society presented their views on the presence of domestic violence in Kosovo and the ways of combating it.

A victim of domestic violence was present in this Roundtable, who after several years of suffering violence is facing, on one hand, with constant threats and, on the other hand, lack of adequate treatment by the justice system in Kosovo. The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, MP Duda Balje, the representative of the Kosovo Women’s Network, Adelina Berisha, the representative of the EU Office, Lumnije Azemi, and the representatives of the EUKOJUST EU-funded project, Volkmar Theobald, Team Leader, and Bardhë Krasniqi, Public Legal Education Expert / Domestic Violence and Marginalized Groups Present were present at the roundtable.

EUKOJUST, which has the specific objective to strengthen access to justice for all citizens in Kosovo, especially in the field of domestic violence and marginalized groups, and the EU Office in Kosovo are committed to assist institutions, including civil society organisations, with the necessary expertise in combating domestic violence as effectively as possible.

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EUKOJUST supports the prosecutorial system in drafting the Strategic Plan

Officials from prosecutorial system, supported by the EU Justice Sector Program in Kosovo- EUKOJUST, held a two-day workshop, to finalize the draft of the Strategic Plan 2022-2024. This workshop marks the last stage in the process of drafting the strategic plan prior to the approval by the Council.  EUKOJUST Project supported the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council throughout the entire process with expertise and advice.

During the discussions on the draft Strategic Plan and Action Plan, special emphasis was placed on policy planning for the management of the prosecutorial system in the next three years. The aim is that the system ensures a continuous increase of professionalism, efficiency and strengthening of independence, integrity, accountability and transparency, relying on constitutional and legal competencies. The participants established that this Plan contains feasible activities and actions, and it indicates the systematic monitoring of its implementation, specified in the Action Plan.

The workshop was attended by members of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, Chief Prosecutors of Prosecution Offices, Prosecutors from the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor, members of the Working Group for drafting the Plan, officials from the administration of the prosecutorial system, and EUKOJUST experts and representatives.

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Strengthening relevant organizational structures of the Ministry of Justice for reinforcing Free Legal Professions

Preliminary findings and administrative gap assessment in the current functioning of the Kosovo Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Department for Free Legal Professions (FLP) and the MoJ Division for Overseeing the Legality of the Work of FLPs were presented and discussed in the roundtable held on Tuesday, 7 December 2021. The roundtable was organized by the EU-funded project EUKOJUST in cooperation with the Department for Free Legal Professions of the Ministry of Justice.

The roundtable provided the opportunity for an open discussion and consultation on the legal framework, competences, operation and administrative capacity of MoJ Department for Free Legal Professions and of the Division for Overseeing the Legality of the Work of FLPs with the aim of reaching common conclusions on the way ahead.

The preliminary findings together with the recommendations were prepared and presented by the Senior Short-Term Expert Ms. Pepa Laleva on the basis of a detailed screening of the current situation, including the analysis of the Kosovo legislation and practice, the organizational structures and the relevant European standards.

“The objective of this project activity is to support the MoJ in strengthening the FLP Department, considering the role of this department for the effective and quality delivery of services for free legal professions: notaries, private enforcement agents, mediators, bankruptcy administrators, and lawyers,” the EUKOJUST Team Leader, Volkmar Theobald, said.

He emphasized the special importance of this in the light of the role of FLPs as part of the justice sector for increasing the efficiency of the judiciary and for strengthening the rule of law in Kosovo.

EUKOJUST Long-Term Structure Expert, Kristian Turkalj, pointed out that it is in the interest of all stakeholders in the justice sector to have competent and professional officials in the MoJ who are well acquainted with the laws that regulate certain aspects of the functioning of the justice sector.

“In this regard, the need to further strengthen the Department of Free Legal Professions was emphasized, which should expand the scope of competence, accompanied by staff strengthening of the Department itself,” said Turkalj.

The findings of the report were openly discussed by the European experts, the Team Leader from the EU Office in Kosovo, Nicola Scaramuzzo, the representative of the Cabinet of the Minister of Justice, numerous officials of MoJ, the presidents and other representatives of the Bar Association, the Notary Chamber and the Chamber of Mediators of Kosovo. Main results from the discussions will be analysed, considered and included by the project in the final report, namely on the findings and recommendations for the more effective functioning of the FLP Department and the MoJ Division for Overseeing the Legality of the Work of FLPs.

The active participation of the representatives from the Justice Sector, the Public Administration Sector, the EU Office and the EUKOJUST is a guarantee for the direct impact of the results of the round table in view of Kosovo’s European perspective and of the need for citizen-oriented service delivery.

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Supporting Access to Justice for vulnerable people and marginalized groups

At a Roundtable held on 2 December, EUKOJUST Access to Justice Expert, Alina Laura Matache presented a comprehensive Report on Access to Justice for vulnerable people and marginalized groups, focusing on people with disabilities, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians, and LGBTI community. The Report includes an analysis of the national legal framework with reference to international standards and conventions, the available mechanisms in place; access to judicial institutions for people with disabilities; information delivered in official languages and in the languages in official use; analysis of the costs, including court fees and time to deliver justice, and right to effective remedy.The roundtable was attended by institutional and civil society representatives and international organizations such as USAID, EULEX, and European Union Office/EU Special Representative. Speeches were delivered by the Ministry of Justice Cabinet’s Advisor, Nazlie Bala, Head of European Integration Department at Kosovo Judicial Council, Arlinda Krasniqi, Head of Kosovo Justice Academy, Enver Fejzullahu, Head of the Office of Good Governance/Prime Minister’s Office, Habit Hajredini, Head of Kosovo Disability Forum, Bujar Kadriu, Kosovo Association of the Blind, Mexhid Foniqi, Versitas, Sebastian Serifovic, Isak Skenderi, Director of Voices of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians (VoRAE) and Arber Nuhiu, Director of the Center for Social Group Development (CSGD). All stakeholders commended the Report as it presents a thorough analysis with tailored and concrete recommendations to increase trust in the justice sector and remove barriers to ensure access to justice for all citizens.

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Strategy for Inclusion of Roma and Ashkali Communities in Kosovo society 2022-2026. Workshop on Access to Justice

On 22 November, the Office for Good Governance/Office of the Prime Minister, in cooperation with the European Union Kosovo Justice Sector Program – EUKOJUST, organized a workshop on Access to justice for Roma and Ashkali communities. The workshop is part of a series of consultations regarding the drafting of the third Strategy dedicated to the inclusion of Roma and Ashkali Communities in Kosovo society 2022-2026. At the workshop, EUKOJUST Long-Term Expert Alina Laura Matache presented recommendations aimed to increase the trust in the rule of law institutions for Roma and Ashkali and as well to foresee concrete activities in the new Strategy. The meeting was attended by representatives from different Ministries and civil society from Roma and Ashkali communities.

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Follow up Workshop on EU Acquis on Criminal Procedure

EUKOJUST in close cooperation with the LO-OPM, on 1 December 2021, organized a workshop on EU Acquis on Criminal Procedure. This workshop was a follow up of an event organized on 29 October 2021 where the Report on the EU Acquis on Criminal Procedural Law, produced by EUKOJUST was presented. The event of 29 October 2021 served as a kick-off of the pre-screening thematic approach to EU approximation. This was considered to be also an awareness raising event, where the issues identified by the report were discussed with relevant stakeholders, such as judges, prosecutors, the police, correctional services, the LO-OPM, MoJ and defense lawyers. The event was very successful and generated a lively debate and discussion. Due to the debate, not all the issues identified in the event were discussed. Moreover, during the event and also after, in writing, participants expressed their high interest to organize more similar events. Following this, EUKOJUST and the LO-OPM organized a follow up event on 1 December 2021 to present the remaining issues in the report and to continue with the awareness raising among stakeholders.