On 6th February 2018, the Defence Office Coordinator and the Head of the Victims’ Participation Office (VPO) of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers met with members of the Kosovo Bar Association in Pristina to provide technical information on application and admission to the list of defence counsel and the list of victims’ counsel.
Any person who appears before the KSC is entitled to a fair and public hearing. They have a right to qualified representation eligible to the List of Counsel. To ensure adequate defence, only counsel who have a certain amount of experience can be admitted to the List of Counsel and can subsequently act as counsel before the KSC. The requirements for counsel are enumerated in the Directive on Counsel. The List of Counsel for defence lawyers is administered by the KSC Defence Office.
The Law of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers allows victims’ participation at various stages of the criminal proceedings. Victims who will be admitted to participate in the proceedings, will be grouped and must be represented by a qualified counsel. To qualify for the List of Counsel, counsel have to demonstrate a certain amount of experience in criminal cases involving victims, including vulnerable victims. The Victims’ Participation Office administers the List of Victims’ Counsel.
During their presentations to the Kosovo Bar Association, the representatives of the KSC explained the requirements for admission to the two lists, how to apply for it and answered questions from the audience.
