On 1 March 2019, the Registrar of the Specialist Chambers, upon the approval of the President, adopted the ‘Code of Professional Conduct for Counsel and Prosecutors before the Specialist Chambers.’ An essential regulatory document, this Code sets out the ethical and professional standards applicable to Specialist and Victims’ Counsel as well as Prosecutors appearing before Panels of the Specialist Chambers. It further regulates the disciplinary procedure to be applied in case of any breaches of these standards. Prior to its adoption, a range of internal and external stakeholders were consulted in order to provide their input on the Code. These include not just the Judges of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers but, most importantly, the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office as well as Specialist and Victims’ Counsel, through a Working Group.
The President of the Specialist Chambers wishes to express her gratitude to all those who were consulted in this respect. The various comments and suggestions provided were given careful consideration and have assisted in finalising the Code. The President and the Registrar are therefore confident that this Code will contribute to the fairness and efficiency of proceedings before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
