The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, has stated that it is unprecedented for the Specialist Chambers not to be accountable to any institution in Kosovo.
Haxhiu emphasized that Kosovo must establish an oversight mechanism, either international or domestic, for the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, particularly regarding the rights of the accused.
In an interview with KosovaPress, Haxhiu explained that all issues concerning The Hague have been addressed in meetings with the leaders of this judicial institution. However, she noted that beyond this, they hold no further authority.
“We have discussed among ourselves as institutions regarding the demands for an entity or mechanism to oversee the work of the Specialist Chambers. There has not been agreement on who this mechanism would be, how it would be created, or whether it would be international or domestic. This falls under the competencies of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. Even though we have had discussions and frequent meetings, there are differing opinions. Until we reach a unified or common stance, I think this matter should be further debated.
It is important to have at least a mechanism that oversees the rights of the accused, the impartiality of the court, and other circumstances related to the court’s work. Institutions that are not overseen by anyone are problematic. The way the Specialist Chambers was established is unprecedented, as is its lack of accountability. Therefore, the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo must find a solution—perhaps not the perfect one—but at least to establish a mechanism responsible for this oversight,” stated Haxhiu.
