Month: February 2022

A two-day workshop focused on the Concept Document for realizing civil rights, including the right to fair trial within a reasonable time, started in Peja today, jointly organised by the Ministry of Justice and the EU-funded project EUKOJUST.

The workshop aims at drafting a concept document within a reasonable time by bringing together key stakeholders in the rule of law institutions and civil society.

In a diverse variety and composition of participants, including judges, civil servants, experts, and members of civil society, there was a fruitful exchange of views and contribution to ensure effective work in drafting the Concept Document, in the first day of the workshop.

The activity is part of the EUKOJUST Objective 4 Access to Justice, support to the Ministry of Justice on legislative initiatives on civil rights, and in line with the approved Kosovo Rule of Law Strategy and Action Plan.

The Strategy foresees an intervention directed towards increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of legal remedies through the improvement of the legal guarantees for judicial protection related to the achievement of fundamental rights in criminal, civil, and administrative matters. The goal is to enable citizens of Kosovo to benefit from the constitutional right to a fair trial within a reasonable time and making legal remedies available and effective in practice. The document will provide a set of solutions regarding effective legal remedies for cases involving delays in court proceedings.

The European Union/Kosovo Justice Sector Programme, EUKOJUST, organized on the 1^st of February 2022 a hybrid format roundtable on the statistical and analytical capacity building and donor coordination mechanisms. As noted in the opening remarks of Mr Cristian Nicoara, EUKOJUST deputy team leader, the roundtable brought together respected representatives of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC), Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) and Ministry of Justice.

Besides presentations, key findings and recommendations given by EUKOJUST experts Mr. Kristian Turkalj, Ms. Martina Vrdoljak and Mr. Enes Sedić; special emphasis was placed on – in the context of adopting the Strategy on Rule of Law 2021-2026 – how the statistical data is interconnected with concrete objectives, specific indicators, measuring progress and assessing impact and why, despite progress made, inter-institutional and donor coordination still requests for attention.

Mr. Besnik Ramosaj (Director of Statistics Department of KJC) presented on the types of statistical reports that can currently be drawn from CMIS.

The topics and presentations given during the roundtable opened a meaningful and mutually reinforcing dialogue among roundtable participants.

Separation of Powers and Independence of Judiciary was discussed at a roundtable held in Pristina on 25 January, organised by EUKOJUST, the EU-funded project for the justice system reform. Report on Separation of Powers and Independence with comparative constitutional solutions, relevant ECJ jurisprudence, and comparative structure of the Ministry of Justice prepared by prof. Ivan Vanja Savić, EUKOJUST STE was presented at the roundtable.

EUKOJUST experts and Kosovo justice system officials (Enver Peci, President of the Supreme court of Kosovo,  Aleksandër Lumezi, Chief State Prosecutor, Blerim Sallahu, Deputy Minister, Albert Zogaj, President of Kosovo Judicial Council, Jetish Maloku, President of Kosovo Prosecutor Council and Enver Fejzullahu Director of Judicial Academy) presented their views and developing a common ground of effective cooperation between three branches of power within Kosovo Legal System (legislation-executive-judiciary) and finding the mechanism for achieving better cooperation for reform activities and for meeting EU criteria for integration process without jeopardizing independence of judiciary.

This is important for achieving a common understanding of the framework in which particular stakeholders are operating as well as finding best ways for mutual cooperation. This is needed for reforms which are essential of the European integration processes of Kosovo.

A three-day workshop for Drafting the Regulation on Internal Organization and Systematization of Jobs at the Kosovo Correctional Service, was held recently in Peja, organised by EUKOJUST.

In an open discussion the Kosovo Correctional Service officials and EUKOJUST international experts jointly worked on developing a clear vision of the competencies, roles and responsibilities of the Correctional Service, on the internal reorganization in the General Directorate as well as in correctional institutions.

The activity was yet another step towards the objective of drafting a Regulation which will advance and develop the correctional service in Kosovo, as an important mechanism within the overall Kosovo justice system.

Internal organization reform aims at advancing the Correctional Service of Kosovo, its functionality, better conditions for its employees, as well as better treatment of prisoners according to international standards.