Special Court: We were not consulted on the initiative to amend the law

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague have announced that they were not involved in consultations regarding the initiative to amend the law under which the institution was established.

The initiative, undertaken by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the largest opposition party, is currently being reviewed by the legal office of Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

To be submitted to the Assembly, the proposal must receive the Government’s approval and first pass through the parliamentary committees.

In a brief response to Radio Free Europe, the Specialist Chambers said: “We were not consulted,” adding that they do not comment on political initiatives.

According to the proposed document, the maximum sentence that could be imposed by this court would be limited to 15 years in prison. The amendments also provide for the possibility that convicted persons could benefit from a presidential pardon.

The Special Court, which on September 16 convicted four former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) of war crimes, is supported by the European Union.

The verdict triggered political reactions and protests by citizens in Kosovo.

Legal experts, quoted earlier by Radio Free Europe, have assessed the initiative as difficult to implement and expressed doubts about the effect the amendment to the law could have.