A recently published document has revealed a serious scandal within the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) in The Hague, where investigators referred to the Republic of Kosovo using the term “Kosovo and Metohija”—a phrase used by Serbia to undermine Kosovo’s statehood, reports Gazeta Sinjali.
The incident occurred on November 11, 2022, during an interview with Sefer Goxhuli by SPO investigators. According to the document, Goxhuli was taken aback when one of the investigators used this term while reading an official document. He considered the reference deeply offensive and subsequently filed a complaint with the Ombudsperson of the Specialized Chambers in The Hague.
“The use of the term ‘Kosovo and Metohija’ is offensive and contradicts Article 1 of the Constitution of Kosovo. The SPO must act in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Kosovo, and such language is unacceptable in a process that claims to be conducted on behalf of the people of Kosovo,” stated Goxhuli in his complaint.
He argued that this was not a slip of the tongue or a misunderstanding, as the term was read from an official document, raising serious doubts about the SPO’s approach to Kosovo’s statehood.
What Does the Special Prosecutor’s Office Say?
The SPO acknowledged that the term was used during the interview and called it an unintentional mistake. They stated that this is not a term commonly used in their official documents and that measures have been taken to prevent its recurrence.
However, this explanation did not satisfy Goxhuli, who requested the intervention of the Ombudsperson to verify the violation.
How Did the Ombudsperson Respond?
In his decision, the Ombudsperson acknowledged that the term was offensive to the complainant but dismissed the complaint, arguing that the term was used “unintentionally” and that the SPO had taken steps to prevent its recurrence.
“After reviewing the Constitution of Kosovo and international human rights instruments, no violation of any protected right was found,” the decision stated.
Despite the SPO’s admission of the mistake, the Ombudsperson did not consider it sufficient to support the citizen’s complaint.
This case has raised serious concerns about the stance of international institutions towards Kosovo’s statehood and raises new questions about the legitimacy of their approach.
