Kosovo, EU Still Mulling New EULEX Mandate

The Kosovo government is still consulting with European Union officials on the powers that the European rule-of-law mission will have after its mandate expires on June 14.

“The new mandate of EULEX will recognise the progress made by Kosovo authorities and the joint assessment that further work together is needed in some areas, chiefly the support to justice”, Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson of the EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said.

Her comment follows a meeting that representatives of Ashton’s office and other European officials held on Monday with Hajredin Kuci, Kosovo's Minister of Justice, and Bajram Rexhepi, the Minister of Interior.

“The legal actions that Kosovo has to take in order to implement a successful transition and transfer of competencies ... were discussed during the meeting,” the justice ministry said after the meeting. The government did not comment further on the planned transition.

Last month, BIRN reported that the EU External Action Service had produced a draft-strategy on the future mandate of EULEX “with support” of the authorities in Pristina.

The draft suggested that EULEX should open no more new war crime, organised crime, corruption or financial crime cases before its current mandate expires.

The Kosovo government wants the mission to transfer its executive competencies in the rule-of-law field to local judges and prosecutors.

However, that idea has met resistance from EULEX. Kocijancic told Balkan Insight that “effective and sustainable support to justice can only work if our [EULEX's] judges and prosecutors are [still] embedded in the institutions in Kosovo”.

EULEX was launched in June 2008 under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy, to...