The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, has welcomed the decision to open a new contest for the position of Chief State Prosecutor.
In an official statement released by the Presidency, Haxhiu emphasized that launching a new vacancy restores the opportunity for a regular, transparent, and strictly merit-based institutional selection.
“It is critical that the entire process is conducted in an impartial, credible manner, free from any political influence or narrow personal interests,” Acting President Haxhiu stated. “This is essential to ensuring that the most competent candidate with the highest level of professional integrity is chosen to lead the State Prosecutor’s Office.”
Haxhiu further underscored that building and maintaining public trust in the judicial system heavily relies on fair selection procedures rooted firmly in meritocracy.
KPK Approves New Vacancy Amid Years of Institutional Limbo
The Prosecutorial Council of Kosovo (KPK) officially announced the opening of the contest during its session on May 18, 2026. The motion passed following a vote within the council, securing 5 votes in favor, 1 against, and 1 abstention. The application window will remain open for 15 days.
The position of Chief State Prosecutor has been locked in an institutional stalemate since April 2022. The vacancy arose after then-President Vjosa Osmani repeatedly withheld the decree for the KPK’s initial nominee, Blerim Isufaj, who had been put forward following an 11–0 vote by the council in April 2022. President Osmani had publicly stated that a key role like the Chief Prosecutor required rigorous scrutiny, noting that a decision “cannot be rushed through.”
A Turbulent Chronology of Acting Appointments
The leadership of the State Prosecutor’s Office has faced significant volatility over the past few years:
- April 21, 2022: Besim Kelmendi is appointed as Acting Chief State Prosecutor following the expiration of the regular mandate.
- November 20, 2025: The KPK abruptly dismisses Kelmendi from his acting role. The dismissal occurred just one day after Kelmendi held an extraordinary press conference denying reports that he had collaborated with Serbian judge Danica Marinković in 1999 during the investigation of the Rečak massacre. Kelmendi subsequently filed a lawsuit against the KPK to overturn the decision.
- Late 2025: Following Kelmendi’s dismissal, the KPK appoints Agron Qalaj as the new Acting Chief State Prosecutor.
- Early 2026: The Supreme Court of Kosovo rules in favor of Kelmendi, annulling the KPK’s dismissal decision. Following the legal victory, Kelmendi officially requested to be relieved from the acting post.
The Move Toward a Reset
Following the legal back-and-forth, Acting President Albulena Haxhiu reviewed the case file and formally communicated to the Prosecutorial Council that the previous, contentious selection process was considered legally closed.
Speaking on the matter on April 30, 2026, Haxhiu explicitly warned that the KPK must ensure the new process remains uncompromised.
“The Prosecutorial Council must announce the contest, but they must ensure that this process is not compromised like it was in the past,” Haxhiu concluded. “Candidates who pass through pre-arranged or orchestrated processes will never receive a presidential decree.”
