Activist Rron Gjinovci has launched strong accusations after the session of the Kosovo Judicial Council, questioning the discussions about the fate of the Serbian magistrates who resigned. He expressed deep astonishment at the fact that, according to him, some voices within this body are trying to downplay the seriousness of their return to the Kosovar judiciary.

In his reaction, Gjinovci raises the claim that our institutions did not act with the necessary urgency, neglecting the formal dismissal of the Serbian judges after their resignation. This has led to them receiving salaries for a four-year period, despite no longer being active in their posts.

He argued that in a state with independent and functional mechanisms, those responsible for this failure would themselves face the justice organs for their inaction. Furthermore, he added that if he were at the head of the Ministry of Finance, he would have ordered that the losses Kosovo suffered from these payments be deducted from the salaries of the responsible persons.

At the end of his criticism, Gjinovci pointed the finger at some participants in the meeting, whom he openly accused of aiming to return the Serbian magistrates to work, a move that, according to him, risks bringing back Belgrade’s influence into Kosovo’s justice system.

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The Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) convenes today to discuss several key issues for the country’s justice system.

One of the central topics is addressing the request from the acting President, Albulena Haxhiu, as well as the notifications submitted by Serbian magistrates and administrative personnel who have changed their minds about their departure.

In an official letter dated June 19, 2026, addressed to the KJC chair, Rrustem Thaqi, acting President Haxhiu called on this institution to make a final decision on the status of the resignations previously submitted by the Serb judges and support staff, who had abandoned their posts in northern Kosovo.

This issue comes to the fore at a time when some of these individuals have signaled their willingness to rejoin the institutions, informing that they are withdrawing their previous resignations. Expectations are that the Council’s decision will play a key role in the full revitalization of the judicial mechanism, especially in Serb-populated areas.

In addition, the meeting agenda includes other issues, among them the selection of the new deputy chair of the KJC.

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The Kosovo Judicial Council has announced that its next meeting will take place on Friday, July 24, 2026. On the agenda, which contains a total of 16 items, the ninth item is the review of the request received from the Acting President of the Republic, Albulena Haxhiu, as well as the notifications related to the withdrawal of resignations by judges and support staff from the Serb community.

In her letter of June 19, 2026, addressed to the chair of the KJC, Rrustem Thaqi, Haxhiu requested that the issue of resignations previously submitted by Serb judges and support staff in Kosovo’s judicial system be brought to a definitive conclusion.

The document emphasized that “leaving these positions pending for an extended period damages legal certainty, blocks the full functioning of justice, and reduces the efficiency of the relevant institutions.”

Meanwhile, the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, in its meeting on July 20, 2026, decided not to accept the withdrawal of resignations from prosecutors and support staff from the Serb community. Instead, the cases were forwarded to the Acting President for dismissal from duty.

One day after this decision, on July 21, Albulena Haxhiu signed decrees dismissing seven Serb prosecutors, who had submitted their resignations back in 2022.

The European Union reacted sharply to these actions, considering them contrary to legislation. Their statement reads: “The EU is concerned by yesterday’s decision of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council to accept resignations that had already been withdrawn and by today’s decision of the Acting President to decree these resignations. This appears not to be in line with the law, with regular legal procedure, and with the general requirements of the rule of law in Kosovo.” The EU also called on all competent institutions to avoid actions aimed at hindering the reintegration of Serb judicial staff in Kosovo.

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At the meeting, KJC member Ahmet Imami presented the full course of the electoral process, stressing that it was carried out according to the plan and calendar approved by the Council, as well as under the monitoring of international partners and civil society.

“This has been a lengthy process across both dates on which it was held, but allow me to briefly present this chronology. As we all know, the Judicial Council approved the election dates in the country’s basic courts. Based on the plan and calendar, the Commission organized the process as follows: on 16 June, elections were held at the Basic Court in Prishtina. Of the four nominated candidates, the candidate qualified in the election vote was Judge Valentina Sopjani. On 17 June, the Commission organized elections at the Basic Court in Gjilan and in Ferizaj. In Gjilan, we did not have a successful candidate to qualify for the election vote, while in Ferizaj it was Judge Ilir Bytyqi. On 18 June, the Commission organized elections at the Basic Court in Mitrovica and in Peja. In Mitrovica, the qualified candidate was Judge Agron Maxhuni, while in Peja, the qualified candidate was Judge Besnik Shala. Then on 19 June, the Commission organized elections at the Basic Court in Prizren, where according to the result of 19 June, the successful candidate qualified for the election vote was Judge Diona Bajrami. On 22 June, the Commission received an email in which the candidate, namely Judge Besnik Shala, withdrew from the race. The Commission approved the final list of qualified candidates for 23 June, who were: Judge Agron Maxhuni from the Basic Court in Mitrovica, Vushtrri branch; Judge Diona Bajrami from the Basic Court in Prizren; Judge Ilir Bytyqi from the Basic Court in Ferizaj; and Judge Valentina Sopjani from the Basic Court in Prishtina. On 23 June, the election vote was held, where according to the result, among these four qualified candidates, the ones who received sufficient votes to be elected members of the Judicial Council were Judge Agron Maxhuni and Judge Valentina Sopjani. It is important to emphasize that both in the elections held in the basic courts and in the electoral assembly, we had monitoring from international partners and civil society. It is also worth noting that the entire election voting process was broadcast live on the Council’s website. A novelty in this process was that every counted vote was displayed on screen and all participants in the assembly had the opportunity to see how the counting proceeded. Before proposing that the Council certify the results, I wish to express my gratitude to the members of the judicial commission, Judge Afërdita Bytyqi and Judge Fahret Velija, as well as the support staff, who never spared any effort to contribute to ensuring that the process was conducted in the best possible way. Therefore, based on the explanation I have given, I propose that the Judicial Council certify the results, in which the elected candidates, respectively the new members elected from this electoral process, are Judge Agron Maxhuni and Judge Valentina Sopjani,” he said.

Following this presentation, the KJC approved the certification of the results and formally confirmed the election of Judge Agron Maxhuni and Judge Valentina Sopjani as the newest members of the Council from the ranks of judges.

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Sopjani, who comes from the Basic Court in Prishtina, secured 212 votes, while Maxhuni, from the Vushtrri branch of the Basic Court in Mitrovica, received 204 votes.

Diora Bajrami from the Basic Court in Prizren and Ilir Bytyqi from the Basic Court in Ferizaj also ran for these two seats, receiving 64 and 84 votes respectively.

Of the 354 judges, 303 who had the right to vote in this electoral process were present in the hall.

The elections were held after internal processes conducted at the Basic Courts in Prishtina, Ferizaj, Mitrovica, Peja and Prizren. The chairman of the Election Commission, Ahmet Imami, announced that yesterday they had received an email informing them that Judge Besnik Shala had withdrawn from the race.

For the two members elected from the ranks of the Basic Courts, judges from these courts, the first-instance chambers of the Commercial Court and the Administrative Court were eligible to run, with the exception of judges from the Basic Court in Gjakova.

Currently, the Kosovo Judicial Council has 11 members, although it is supposed to have 13. For one member from the ranks of the Supreme Court, the process is continuing in line with legal procedures, while the Assembly of Kosovo must also elect another member to complete the KJC’s composition.

The mandate of the two new members will begin on July 8, one day after the mandate of the two current members ends.

Before voting began, Judge Maxhuni pledged that he would work with responsibility and strong dedication to implementing the fundamental principles set out in the Constitution of Kosovo and the legislation in force related to the Judicial Council.

Maxhuni: At the KJC, I will support decisions that ensure fair courts

“As a member of the KJC, I will contribute to ensuring independence in the exercise of the Council’s functions, as well as financial independence, which is a key element in securing conditions for judges. As a member, I will support every decision that ensures independence and that ensures courts are fair, apolitical, accessible and professional. Likewise, that courts respect the principles established on human rights, especially those affirmed through the country’s Constitution and international instruments that are directly applicable in Kosovo. Within the Council, I will support all ongoing processes, and I will also support the development of strategic policies related to reform of the judicial system in Kosovo, based on the highest contemporary standards set by the Council of Europe and the European Union. It is necessary and essential to work on several different aspects to advance the judicial system in Kosovo, including ensuring equal access for all citizens without distinction, increasing efficiency and timeliness within the justice system, strengthening institutional and individual accountability, and enhancing and protecting the integrity and independence of judges as the foundation of public trust in decision-making,” he said.

On the other hand, Judge Sopjani said that the KJC should represent the voice of judges, be their main supporter and the institution that ensures conditions for professional and efficient work.

Sopjani: The KJC should be the voice of judges and the institution that ensures conditions for efficient work

“Throughout the years of serving as a judge, I have understood that the strength of a judicial system is not measured only by the laws at its disposal, but above all by the conditions, support and independence offered to judges to carry out their mission. A judge who is professionally supported and protected from any external influence is the best guarantee of justice, quality and public trust. Therefore, my candidacy is mainly based on these principles. I believe that the role of a KJC member should above all be in the service of judges and the judicial system. The Council should be the voice of judges, their main supporter and the institution that creates conditions for efficient and professional work,” she said.

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