The Kosovo Assembly has approved, in its first reading, a draft law proposed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) to amend and supplement the Law on the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office.
The draft law was approved with 91 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions.
The PDK initiative had previously passed through the Committee on Legislation, which unanimously supported the draft law in principle.
The proposed amendments concern the Law on the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office in The Hague.
Following its approval in the first reading, the draft law will now be sent to the relevant parliamentary committees for review. The committees will examine it article by article, may propose amendments and will prepare a report with recommendations for the Assembly.
In the second reading, the draft law will return to the plenary session together with the amendments and the committee’s report. At this stage, it will undergo detailed consideration before being put to a vote for final approval.
Under the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure, no new amendments may be proposed during the plenary session at the second-reading stage.
The draft law was submitted by the PDK just days after the Specialist Chambers in The Hague delivered its judgment against former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
On September 16, Hashim Thaçi and Jakup Krasniqi were each sentenced to 25 years in prison, Kadri Veseli to 18 years and Rexhep Selimi to 13 years for war crimes. All four were acquitted of crimes against humanity.
Their defence teams have announced that they will appeal the verdict on the war crimes charges.
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