The Kosovo Assembly’s decision to approve amendments to the law governing the Specialist Chambers has received significant attention from Serbian media, with reports focusing on the potential implications for the court’s jurisdiction and ongoing proceedings in The Hague.
Serbian public broadcaster RTS devoted coverage to the developments, examining what the amendments could mean for the Specialist Chambers and their proceedings.
RTS quoted legal expert Dragan Pashić, who argued that the amendments were primarily intended for “domestic use” and, in his assessment, would not have legal effect on proceedings before the Specialist Chambers in The Hague. This is the interpretation of the individual quoted by RTS and does not represent an official position of the Specialist Chambers.
RTS also reported separately on the Assembly vote, highlighting provisions concerning the court’s jurisdiction, a proposed maximum prison sentence and the possibility of presidential pardons.
The Serbian-language outlet Kosovo Online also closely followed the Assembly session, reporting on the approval of the amendments before lawmakers proceeded to the election of Kosovo’s new president, Justina Shiroka-Pula.
Kosovo Online also published a profile of Shiroka-Pula, including references to positions she had previously expressed regarding the Specialist Chambers.
Meanwhile, KoSSev focused primarily on the legal provisions contained in the amendments.
According to its report, the changes would seek to limit the jurisdiction of the Specialist Chambers to offenses directly related to allegations outlined in the report by former Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty.
The outlet also highlighted provisions concerning a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, the possibility of serving sentences in Kosovo and the potential for presidential pardons.
The coverage in Serbian media reflects continued attention in Belgrade to the legal and political implications of the Kosovo Assembly’s decision, particularly regarding whether and to what extent legislation adopted in Kosovo could affect the jurisdiction of the Specialist Chambers or proceedings already underway in The Hague.
The legal effect of the amendments on the Specialist Chambers and ongoing cases is expected to remain subject to further interpretation and developments.
