(5/06/06) HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH NOTES PROBLEMS WITH KOSOVO JUSTICE SYSTEM. (Balkan Watch)

• 2006-06-06
• Europa in de wereld

A recent report issued by Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticized the criminal justice system in Kosovo. The report is seen as a blow to UN efforts to create a strong rule of law in Kosovo, which has been administered by the UN since the end of war in 1999.

Authorities in Kosovo have reportedly failed to address major problems with the police and the courts. According to the report, “The inadequate criminal justice response to violence in March 2004 symbolizes one of the greatest problems faced by Kosovo today: rampant impunity for crime, particularly where it has political or ethnic dimensions.” HRW’s European Director Holly Carter noted that not addressing the justice system during ongoing final status talks in Vienna could harm Kosovo’s progress, regardless of the ultimate agreement reached with the UN about how Kosovo will be governed. Carter criticized Kosovo’s ability to hold individuals accountable for past crimes.

UNMIK spokesman Neeraj Singh stated that the UN welcomed the report’s recommendations for adjusting the “evolving criminal justice system in Kosovo.” The report recommends that the EU receive significant powers in policing and administration of justice in Kosovo, once the UN leaves after reaching agreement on final status.