BIRN monitored corruption cases from January 1, 2022, onwards using a specific methodology designed for the compilation of this report. The methodology included directly monitoring court hearings and analysing all decisions relating to the 10 corruption cases that are part of the report.
Monitoring was carried out at all of Kosovo’s Basic Courts and at the Court of Appeals. This process included monitoring more than 50 court hearings dealing with corruption cases and analysing the associated documents, from those documenting the investigative phase to those detailing the final decisions, in all instances of justice in the country.
The report therefore reflects the progress of each case from the initial investigation stage onwards, comprising assessment of the quality and impact of the in-depth investigation at the judicial appeals stage. Special attention is paid to the duration of court proceedings and the quality of decisions taken by the courts in these cases, which have been set as a priority for Kosovo’s justice system.
The report also includes individual summary analyses of all monitored cases, chronologically detailing the key moments in the handling of each case.
At the end of the report, BIRN also includes recommendations to justice institutions, such as the Kosovo Judicial Council, KJC, the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, KPC, and the Academy of Justice, as well as the heads of the courts and prosecution offices.
BIRN’s main recommendations are that the KJC, in cooperation with the Academy of Justice, organise supplementary training for judges and prosecutors who handle corruption cases, with a particular focus on the nature of corruption, the importance of publicising judgments, sentencing policies, drafting judgments and conducting financial investigations.
BIRN also recommends that corruption cases be prioritised by judges and that the KJC and heads of Kosovo’s courts should take measures against judges responsible for excessively prolonging these cases.
Click here for the report on Albanian and English.
This activity is implemented as part of the “Media Strengthening the Rule of Law in Kosovo” project, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian embassy in Pristina.