The Kosovo Assembly is scheduled to resume its plenary session today at 11:00 a.m., with a vote on amendments to the Law on the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office among the items on the agenda.
The session was suspended on Thursday after MPs failed to return to the parliamentary chamber within 30 minutes of the scheduled resumption time of 2:00 p.m.
Assembly Speaker Albulena Haxhiu postponed the proceedings, criticising lawmakers for their absence and saying Parliament could not continue operating while waiting indefinitely for MPs to return.
“The Assembly will resume its work on Friday at 11:00. It is not serious that MPs have still not returned half an hour after 2:00 p.m. I cannot function and wait indefinitely,” Haxhiu said.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) had requested that consideration of amendments to the Law on the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office be included in the session’s agenda.
However, the proposed changes have drawn criticism from several international partners, who have warned Prishtina against proceeding with the initiative.
The United Kingdom has expressed concern over the Kosovo Assembly’s intention to vote again on amendments to the legislation governing the Specialist Chambers, warning that such a move could damage relations with international partners.
In a statement, the British Embassy in Prishtina said the proposed amendments would not serve Kosovo’s fundamental interests.
Germany has also voiced opposition, with its embassy in Kosovo sharing the statement issued by the European Union Office in Kosovo.
“The German Embassy fully shares the concerns of the EU Office in Kosovo regarding the possible vote in the Kosovo Assembly on the law amending and supplementing the Law on the Specialist Chambers,” the embassy stated.
The EU Office has warned that the proposed amendments raise serious concerns regarding Kosovo’s international obligations and its commitment to fundamental rule-of-law principles.
These include judicial independence, the protection of victims and witnesses, procedural rights and effective accountability.
The EU has also questioned the constitutionality of the proposed changes, calling for consultations before any adoption of the legislation to ensure compliance with Kosovo’s international obligations.
The Assembly’s decision is expected to be closely watched by international partners, given the potential implications for Kosovo’s relations with its allies and the functioning of the Specialist Chambers.
