Political analyst Faton Mehmeti says that the dysfunctional institutions in Kosovo are causing significant consequences in politics, the economy and international relations. According to him, delays in establishing the institutions are harming the country’s position and holding back its development.

“The failure to form the institutions is having consequences in many areas, particularly politically. Kosovo is facing setbacks in securing new recognitions, representation in international forums and inclusion in new European initiatives,” Mehmeti told ‘Bota sot’.

He stressed that the lack of a complete institutional structure also affects how Kosovo is perceived by states that have not yet recognized its independence.

“In the eyes of countries that must decide whether to recognize Kosovo, our country gives the impression of being insecure, unstable and politically immature. This reduces the possibility of securing new recognitions, which Kosovo needs,” the political analyst said.

According to Mehmeti, the consequences are particularly serious for the economy, as the lack of functioning institutions limits Kosovo’s ability to benefit from international support and cooperation.

“The economic situation is even more problematic, as European Union funds cannot be secured at the level Kosovo needs. Moreover, the country is unable to negotiate important trade agreements with the states with which it needs to cooperate,” he said.

The analyst emphasized that delays in forming the institutions directly affect investments and projects related to the country’s development.

“The financing of economic development, investments and many other processes depend on the regular functioning of the institutions. Every delay in establishing them increases the damage Kosovo suffers politically, economically and internationally,” Faton Mehmeti concluded.

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Arbëresha Loxha, executive director of GLPS, assesses that the chronic lack of progress is leaving the country suspended on the global agenda. She emphasizes that this is one of the mechanisms through which Kosovo can prove to the European Union its seriousness in the integration journey and its ability to be a reliable partner of the bloc.

Despite the situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora stands by its strategy. In a written statement, this institution assures that the diplomatic apparatus continues to be active and is operating in several directions simultaneously.

According to the Ministry, efforts for membership in organizations in the political, economic, security, and cultural fields are underway. These initiatives, officials inform, are at various stages of consultations and coordination, while communication with international allies to gain support and new recognitions is uninterrupted.

Regarding membership in international mechanisms, the Ministry confirms active participation in organizations and forums of the political, economic, security, cultural, educational, and health spectrum. The steps taken, it clarifies, are in full compliance with the circumstances and the level of international support at any given moment.

At the same time, Kosovar diplomacy maintains ongoing contacts with various partner states and parties to expand the circle of supporters of the Republic of Kosovo and to create premises for further recognitions.

Experts on political developments stress that the swift formation of the new government is essential to avoid losing over 100 million euros from the EU’s Growth instrument. Every day of delay in consolidating executive power risks definitively blocking these strategic financial resources, which depend directly on meeting strict deadlines and implementing the reforms demanded by Brussels.

After failing to fully meet the objectives in the first deadline of June, where only half of the reforms were achieved, Kosovo now has time only until the end of this year to make its institutions functional. In the absence of an immediate agreement, the country faces the real risk of permanently forfeiting more than 100 million euros allocated from European funds.

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These issues were raised at the panel discussion titled “Strengthening professional capacities in the prosecution and trial of war crimes in Kosovo,” organized by the Humanitarian Law Center in Kosovo.

According to Amer Alija from the Humanitarian Law Center in Kosovo, processes related to war crimes continue to represent one of the most complex tests for the justice system.

Alija: War crimes trials are one of the most complex challenges for the justice system

“In Kosovo, it remains one of the most important and complex challenges for the justice system. Beyond their legal importance, these processes have a direct impact on ensuring justice for war victims, combating impunity, and strengthening citizens’ trust in justice institutions. In recent years, we have seen important developments in this field, including an increase in the number of indictments for war crimes and the implementation of trials in absentia,” Alija said.

The head of the War Crimes Department at the Special Prosecution Office, Ilir Morina, said there is institutional readiness to handle these cases, but that the difficulties go beyond the institutions’ own will.

He underlined that one of the problems for the prosecution remains the use of old laws from the former Yugoslavia, as well as the lack of international legal cooperation, especially with Serbia.

Morina also said that the lack of a database for collecting evidence is making the process of gathering it more difficult for the Special Prosecution Office.

Morina: There is a lack of a dedicated database for war crimes cases

“It is not a lack of will; there is readiness to work on addressing war crimes, but the challenges are beyond will. We have done the maximum within our capacities and possibilities, whether budgetary or institutional… The current legal framework is not sufficient, a legal framework that is suited to organized crime. We still have this challenge because we are working with old laws, including those of the former Yugoslavia, and the procedure code, which is not sufficiently suitable in war crimes cases. As for the institutional structure, when we took over this issue from EULEX, we had to build internal mechanisms so that we would be ready to face the challenges… a very major challenge is the lack of international legal cooperation, with special emphasis on Serbia, but also with other countries and the former Yugoslav criminal tribunal. All the evidence is in Serbia or outside the territory of Kosovo, as are the defendants. The lack of this cooperation is a major challenge. Now we have an opportunity to file indictments in absentia; trial in absentia is not being used for the first time. It is the best solution and we are trying to apply it. Within this, there is the lack of a dedicated database of war crimes cases; identifying evidence is a major challenge, a lot of information exists but it is scattered. There is no fear that information does not exist, but it needs to be collected and placed in one location to serve the Special Prosecution Office,” Morina said.

Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of the Kosovo Bar Association, Naim Rudari, said that one of the challenges for this institution remains trial in absentia, which most lawyers are not accepting even though it is an official duty.

Rudari: There are challenges with trial in absentia

“We are seeing that it has been strengthened, and the indictments have multiplied, although it is difficult for the prosecution to gather evidence, since many years have passed since the war. It is necessary in order to substantiate each crime. We have people seeking justice, although the prosecution is our opponent in professional terms, in this case both the Bar Association and the prosecution face challenges with the engagement of court-appointed lawyers in trial in absentia. Trial in absentia is a new institution for us; it still requires preparation, training, and the application of this institution with high professionalism… we have tried to convince them that, beyond the obligation, it is assistance to justice. We lack training, especially from international experts in this field; there are difficulties in applying trial in absentia,” Rudari said.

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