Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has received a congratulatory letter from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham, marking the start of his new governing mandate. The Prime Minister’s Office published the letter on Sunday.
In his message, Burnham emphasized that the United Kingdom and Kosovo are bound by a long-standing and close partnership. He recalled that Britain was among the first countries to recognize Kosovo’s independence, while expressing London’s continued strong support for its development as a “sovereign, independent and multi-ethnic state.” According to him, cooperation between the two countries is particularly important for security and stability in Europe.
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Burnham calls for respect for the Specialist Chambers’ mandate
An important part of the letter is devoted to the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, based in The Hague. The British prime minister stressed that international justice, accountability and the rule of law are essential to achieving lasting reconciliation in the region. He called on Kosovo to fully respect the mandate of this court, describing such a step as a sign of democratic maturity and a commitment to independent and impartial justice for all.
The statement comes one month after Kosovo’s Assembly approved, on October 6, amendments to the Law on the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office. The bill was approved with 88 votes in favor, with no votes against and no abstentions. The initiative was introduced by the PDK and also received support from the Vetëvendosje Movement.
Under the amendments, the court’s temporal jurisdiction extends from July 1, 1999, to December 31, 2000, while its territorial jurisdiction is limited solely to crimes committed in Kosovo. The law also provides for the possibility of appealing to the Supreme Court on matters related to jurisdiction, as well as presidential pardons.
The legal amendments were approved after, on September 16, four former KLA leaders were found guilty in The Hague and sentenced to a total of 81 years in prison. The European Union has deemed these amendments unacceptable, while the Specialist Chambers have stated that they were not consulted on their content.
Focus also on the economy and the fight against organized crime
At the end of the letter, Burnham expressed his willingness to work with Kurti to address Europe’s main challenges and deepen bilateral relations. Among the shared priorities, he mentioned strengthening the economies and fighting serious organized crime.
The letter was published on the same day that the 14 British soldiers who lost their lives in Kosovo were commemorated in Pristina. Also on Sunday, the British ambassador to Belgrade, Edward Ferguson, told the Serbian newspaper “Politika” that London intends to discuss the normalization of relations with Kosovo with Serbia’s new leadership. He said the issue would be addressed at a second stage, after the new government first focuses on domestic priorities. The new leadership is expected to emerge from the Student List, which won the parliamentary elections.
