Following the Judgement of the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court, President Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova issued today the following statement:
“The review by the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court of the adopted Rules of Procedure and Evidence is an indispensable corollary to ensure that, as required by the Constitution of Kosovo, the highest human rights standards are applied by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. Compared to other institutions dealing with similar crimes, this represents an innovative step forward.
Today’s decision by the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court concludes that out of a total of 208 rules, ten discrete provisions of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence need further consideration by the Plenary of Judges. This process reinforces the framework of the Specialist Chambers and guarantees full respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals.
I will as soon as possible convene a Plenary in order to ensure that this discrete set of rules be revised in line with the decision of the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court. The entire Rules will therefore enter into force once the Constitutional Court has finally determined that all Rules are in compliance with Chapter II of the Constitution.
I would like to express my gratitude for the tremendous work and commitment of the Judges of the Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court, thereby ensuring the highest human rights standards for the proceedings before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers”.
