Peter Sorensen, the European Union’s envoy for the Kosovo–Serbia dialogue, made an unannounced visit to Pristina as differences persist between Kosovo and the EU over the possible return of Serbian prosecutors and judges to the justice system.
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During the visit, he met with acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti but did not speak to the media afterward.
Kurti said the issue must be addressed in accordance with the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of Kosovo. He emphasized that institutional independence and the rule of law are the fundamental principles on which any decision must be based.
According to a statement released by his office, Kurti told Sorensen that the collective resignations four years ago, north of the Ibar River, were intended to undermine the multiethnic character of Kosovo’s democratic system. He stressed that the way forward is determined by the country’s Constitution and laws, which, in the judicial system, require the simultaneous protection of multiethnicity, independence and the quality of justice.
Political analyst Faton Mehmeti told “Bota sot” that demands for the return of Serbian prosecutors and judges stem from pressure exerted by Serbia.
In his assessment, their departure from Kosovo’s institutions occurred under the influence of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and therefore they should not be allowed to return.
Mehmeti said Sorensen had come following pressure from Serbia and its claims that Serbian prosecutors and judges were being persecuted on ethnic grounds in Kosovo. According to him, the European envoy fulfilled his role by clarifying that no such persecution had taken place and that the entire issue was part of Serbia’s maneuvers.
He described the prosecutors, judges and everyone else who resigned from Kosovo’s institutions as people who had acted under Vučić’s influence. According to Mehmeti, they were used as his instruments and ordered by him to leave, and therefore should not be reinstated in Kosovo’s institutions.
Such a decision, according to the analyst, would send a message to other Serbs that they should turn to Pristina and place their trust in Kosovo’s institutions rather than look to Belgrade. He said anyone who chooses Belgrade will face the same outcome.
Mehmeti urged Kosovo’s institutions not to succumb to political pressure, whether domestic or international. In his view, accepting the resignations and not allowing them to be withdrawn is the right solution, while any other decision would be scandalous.
He expressed confidence that Kosovo’s judiciary would make the final decision by rejecting these judges’ requests to withdraw their resignations. According to him, this would demonstrate the independence of the justice system and make it clear that the state itself decides who serves in Kosovo’s institutions.
Mehmeti added that Sorensen must also understand that Kosovo is an independent state and should not submit to international pressure. By way of comparison, he raised the prospect of someone interfering in the judiciary of Sorensen’s own country and deciding who should serve as a prosecutor or judge. In conclusion, he said he greatly appreciated Kurti’s stance in this case.
Analyst Artan Nimani also interpreted Peter Sorensen’s visit as part of the EU’s engagement in the Kosovo–Serbia dialogue and on issues related to the rule of law. According to him, the fact that the meeting took place away from public attention reflects the sensitivity of the issue and does not necessarily indicate the existence of any specific agreement.
Nimani told “Bota sot” that Serbian prosecutors, judges and members of the Kosovo Police voluntarily left the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo in 2022. He said this action was the result of Serbia’s political decisions and not any discriminatory measure taken by Kosovo’s institutions.
For this reason, he said, any step related to their return must be considered solely on the basis of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Kosovo, with full respect for legal procedures and institutional independence.
Nimani emphasized that Kosovo’s cooperation with its international partners should continue, but without infringing on its constitutional sovereignty. He said that inclusion in Kosovo’s institutions cannot stem from political agreements, but only from the implementation of the law and the equal treatment of all citizens. According to him, this principle should guide every action following the Kurti–Sorensen meeting.
In November 2022, thousands of members of the Serbian community in northern Kosovo resigned from the country’s institutions, including municipalities, the Kosovo Police, courts and the prosecution service.
The departures took place in protest against the Kosovo government’s decision to replace illegal Serbian license plates with Republic of Kosovo license plates.
