EU calls for full respect for the Specialist Chambers’ independence and consultation on any legal changes

The European Union has welcomed the decision by Kosovo’s President Justina Shiroka Pula to return to the Assembly for reconsideration the Law on the amendment and supplementation of the Law on the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo.

The EU stressed that the mandate and autonomy of the Specialist Chambers must be fully respected, without reservation.

In a statement published on Friday evening, the European Union reiterated its repeatedly expressed concern regarding the initiative to amend this law, both before and after its adoption by the Kosovo Assembly on October 6, 2026.

The European institution requested that it be included in consultations if discussion of this issue resumes in the Kosovo Assembly.

In this context, the EU referred to the 2014 exchange of letters between former EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and former Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga. According to this exchange, the European Union must be consulted before changes are made to the relevant legislation.

“The rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights, including those of victims and witnesses, remain of paramount importance,” the EU statement said.

The European Union also underscored that the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo constitute an independent judicial institution. For this reason, their current mandate and institutional independence must be fully protected and respected.

The statement concluded by expressing solidarity with the victims, survivors and their families from all communities affected by the atrocities committed during the war.

The EU’s reaction was made public after the president’s decision to return the law to the Assembly, bringing the debate over the proposed amendments to the law governing the functioning of the Specialist Chambers of Kosovo back into focus.