The Assembly of Kosovo has approved in principle a draft law establishing the State Bureau for the Verification and Confiscation of Unjustified Assets, marking a key step in the country’s anti-corruption efforts.
The draft law received 81 votes in favor, with no votes against and 25 abstentions. Lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) abstained during the vote.
The legislation must still pass a second reading before it can enter into force.
The proposed law aims to verify the legality of assets held by public officials in Kosovo. If assets are found to have been acquired unlawfully, the judiciary would be responsible for ordering their confiscation.
The initiative has been a priority for Prime Minister Albin Kurti as part of broader efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in public office.
However, previous versions of the law were struck down twice by the Constitutional Court of Kosovo—first in 2024 and again earlier this year. The court cited serious procedural and constitutional violations, including the unjustified bypassing of legislative deadlines and insufficient time for parliamentary review, debate, and amendments.
Despite past setbacks, the government has reintroduced the legislation with the aim of ensuring compliance with constitutional standards while maintaining its core objective of tackling illicit enrichment among public officials.
