Sentencing of former KLA leaders, Kosovo Assembly approves in principle amendments to the Special Court

The Kosovo Assembly has approved in principle the draft law amending the Law on the Specialist Chambers. A total of 91 deputies took part in the vote, and all voted in favor of the draft law, with no votes against and no abstentions.

The draft law must now be reviewed article by article by the responsible committee, where amendments may also be proposed. After that, it must return to the Assembly for a second reading and a final vote.

The Rules of Procedure of the Kosovo Assembly allow the usual procedural deadlines to be waived under certain circumstances if this is proposed by at least six deputies and supported by two-thirds of the deputies present.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti, speaking before the vote, said that the KLA could not be put on trial, adding that the moves to amend the law were rushed but that they would support them.

He added that the avenue for challenging the verdict against the former KLA leaders was the appeals process.

“The address of victory is the appeal,” Kurti said.

According to him, this requires “state and national organization and strategy,” which should not be partisan.

“Actions without a strategy do not help,” Kurti said.