During the presentation of a regional justice questionnaire funded by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank in cooperation with Ipsos Kosovo and other partners, the importance of functional rule-of-law systems in the Western Balkans was emphasized, along with the role of data in measuring progress in the justice sector.
According to the presentation, the questionnaire analyzed data based on the experiences and perceptions of three main groups: citizens and businesses as users of justice services, judges, prosecutors, and judiciary staff as service providers, and lawyers as intermediaries.
“We are carefully analyzing the information gathered from this questionnaire because it reflects the level of satisfaction, efficiency, equality, and independence of the judiciary. This helps us better understand how the justice system functions in practice,” it was stated during the presentation.
The importance of regional comparative assessment was also highlighted in order to evaluate Kosovo’s position in relation to other Western Balkan countries, as well as to compare results with data from 2020 to measure developments and improvements in the justice system.
“The European Commission uses this information to measure reform progress and to inform our further engagement,” it was added.
In addition to this questionnaire, other tools are used in evaluating reforms, including case review missions, trial monitoring—especially in high-level corruption and organized crime cases—and regional progress reports.
It was also emphasized that progress in the rule of law and the functioning of the judiciary remain fundamental elements in Kosovo’s European integration process.
“Kosovo’s medium-term objective of starting accession negotiations is directly linked to the judiciary and the rule of law,” it was stated during the presentation.
Finally, expectations were expressed for the formation of institutions after elections and the continuation of reforms within the EU integration process.
“We hope this process will be guided by a spirit of compromise so that Kosovo will soon have institutions capable of advancing the necessary reforms in the context of European integration,” it concluded.
