On 8 April, KSC President Ekaterina Trendafilova rejected the request by Hashim Thaçi to substitute Judge Nicolas Guillou as a Single Judge in the case number KSC-BC-2018-01 following his appointment as a Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The President clarified that she can only replace a Judge if the Judge is unable to perform their duties due to being engaged in another activity or occupation. This is not the case with Judge Guillou, she said, since he will only exercise his judicial functions at the ICC as of 19 August. Until that time, he remains available to perform his duties at the KSC.
Furthermore, the President of the KSC summarily dismissed the Defence's alternative request for Judge Guillou’s disqualification. The President found, inter alia, that the request was lacking in substance and that the Defence did not provide any arguments on how Judge Guillou's judicial position at another court, which has no overlapping jurisdiction with the KSC, may affect his independence.
More details in the full decision.