EC report on Kosovo: no progress on the judiciary, EU insists on respecting the Specialist Chambers' mandate

The European Commission handed Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti its annual report on November 4, finding no overall progress on the judiciary and limited progress on fighting corruption, Albeu and InAlbania report. Two snap elections and long deadlocks weakened institutions; public administration reform, digital services and the lifting of EU measures against Kosovo were assessed positively.

The Specialist Chambers dispute

On September 16 the Specialist Chambers in The Hague sentenced four former KLA leaders, Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, to a combined 81 years in prison. On October 6 Kosovo's Assembly amended the court's law with 88 of 120 votes: sentences are capped at 15 years and served in Kosovo, pardons are allowed, and jurisdiction is limited to July 1, 1999 – December 31, 2000 and to organ trafficking. President Justina Shiroka-Pula returned the law to the Assembly on October 22.

"The current mandate of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers must be respected," said EU Ambassador to Kosovo Dirk Schuebel.

Kurti's response

On November 5 Kurti said Kosovo is "the only Western Balkan country without candidate status", that no area received a worse rating so there is no regression, and announced a national anti-corruption strategy. Five EU members (Spain, Slovakia, Romania, Greece and Cyprus) do not recognise Kosovo. The next Kosovo–Serbia leaders' meeting is not expected before a new government is formed in Belgrade.