Proposals to amend the Law on the Kosovo Specialist Chambers have raised questions about the country’s relations with its international partners. The European Union has called on Kosovo to fulfill its international commitments and guarantee the independence of the Specialist Court.
Critics warn that pressing ahead with changes without prior consultations or addressing Brussels’ concerns could carry political and institutional costs, erode allies’ trust and hinder European integration.
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At the same time, they stress that defending the dignity of the Kosovo Liberation Army’s struggle and fundamental rights must be done in accordance with the Constitution and without damaging partnerships with international allies.
Analyst and activist Gani Qarri criticizes the handling of the Law on the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. In his view, efforts to limit the court’s mandate are also being used as a tool in disputes within the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).
Qarri claims that a group within the PDK is using the issue to push out internal opponents and continue opposing the government through other political means.
He says bringing the law back to the Assembly is not solely about limiting the Specialist Court’s mandate. In his view, the most hard-line group within the PDK is using it to confront members it considers undesirable and to continue its opposition to the government in another form. Qarri made these remarks to “Bota sot.”
Qarri believes the approved changes cannot deliver the result he says was presented to citizens: they do not guarantee the release of those convicted in The Hague or changes to the court’s decisions.
“The PDK knows that this law cannot free those convicted or actually change the decision in The Hague,” he says.
The analyst claims the issue is also being used to tighten control over PDK structures and weaken factions without a political base in Drenica.
He says that, after Bedri Hamza, people he describes as destructive elements within the PDK are acting against other figures considered undesirable within the party. According to Qarri, this turns the law into a tool of internal party rivalry.
Qarri also questions how the law was passed by the Assembly on October 6, claiming the process took place under pressure from protests. He calls for citizens who protested in support of the changes not to be misinformed about their possible effects.
The Assembly passed the Law on the Specialist Chambers on October 6. The proposed changes affect the court’s jurisdiction, the period during which offenses under its remit were committed, sentences and the possibility of presidential pardons for those convicted. Kosovo’s president, Justina Shiroka Pula, returned the law to the Assembly for reconsideration.
According to Qarri, the proposals raise serious legal questions and must be examined in light of Kosovo’s Constitution and the country’s international obligations.
He recalls that the Specialist Chambers were established on the basis of a constitutional amendment, a special law and Kosovo’s international commitments. For that reason, he argues, changes affecting their mandate are not simply a matter of ordinary legislation.
Qarri notes that the agreement between Kosovo and the European Union on the Specialist Chambers cannot be changed unilaterally through domestic legislation. In his view, measures affecting the agreement must follow the relevant procedures and obtain the consent of the parties.
Another of his criticisms concerns the EU’s response. Qarri says the European Union has raised concerns about the changes’ potential impact on Kosovo’s international commitments and on the independence of the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office.
He recalls that the EU welcomed the president’s decision to return the law to the Assembly and said it expected to be consulted if discussions on the issue resumed.
Qarri also mentions the attempts in 2020 to amend Article 162 of the Constitution, which establishes the constitutional basis for the Specialist Chambers. According to him, the proposals at the time were reviewed by the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court in The Hague, which found that the amendments would infringe fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.
Before taking further steps on the law, Kosovo’s institutions must, according to Qarri, take constitutional limits and international obligations into account.
He warns that if the Assembly insists on amending the Law on the Specialist Chambers despite Brussels’ concerns, it could expose Kosovo to serious political and institutional consequences in its relations with the European Union, the United States and the international community.
In closing, Qarri calls for the Specialist Court not to become a subject of party disputes. In his view, any legislative initiative should be assessed on the basis of its legal impact, the Constitution and Kosovo’s international commitments.
Activist and analyst Adem Lushaj also warns of possible political and institutional consequences for relations with the European Union if the Assembly proceeds with changes to the Law on the Specialist Chambers without prior consultations or seriously addressing the concerns expressed by Brussels.
Lushaj says the issue requires care and responsibility from institutions, because the Assembly’s decisions must comply with Kosovo’s Constitution and international obligations.
He emphasizes that the EU has expressed concern about the changes approved on October 6, 2026, and has called for the independence of the Specialist Chambers to be preserved.
“This issue requires a measured approach, institutional responsibility and legal reasoning. The Kosovo Assembly has the right to review legislation, but it must exercise that right in accordance with the Constitution and the country’s international obligations,” Lushaj told “Bota sot.”
In his view, the pursuit of justice, respect for fundamental rights and defense of the dignity of the Kosovo Liberation Army’s struggle should not create an unnecessary conflict with international partners.
Lushaj believes that pushing changes forward without consultations or addressing the EU’s concerns could weaken political trust, make cooperation with European institutions more difficult and slow Kosovo’s integration.
Nevertheless, he stresses that these risks do not mean the consequences are certain or automatic. They will depend, he says, on future developments and the response of European institutions.
If the Assembly decides to reopen discussions on the law, Lushaj proposes consultations with the European Union and independent legal experts. This, he says, would allow careful review of provisions that could raise constitutional or international concerns.
“Kosovo must defend the dignity of the liberation struggle, its citizens’ rights and the interests of the state, while also preserving its partnership with international allies. These goals are not incompatible,” Lushaj concluded.
