PRISTINA, 18 July 2005 - The Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Werner Wnendt, welcomes the initiative of the Assembly of Kosovo Committee on Judicial, Legislative and Constitutional Framework Matters to urge the adoption of a draft law on the Kosovo Judicial Institute (KJI).
The new law aims to ensure that the main judicial training centre will become a fully operational and sustainable institution, as required in the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan.
"I hope that the legislators will act quickly on this important law, as it will establish the KJI as a local public institution and help with the further development of a professional, impartial, and multi-ethnic judiciary," said Ambassador Wnendt.
"The KJI is part of the overall judicial reform in Kosovo and its work reflects the best European practices in the field of judicial training."
As part of its institution-building mandate, the OSCE Mission founded the KJI in 2000 to assist with the development of the judicial system based on democratic principles and international human rights and rule of law standards.
"The draft law, once passed by this Committee, should be approved by the Assembly of Kosovo as soon as possible to guarantee the development of KJI as an institution that promotes and ensures the rule of law," Ambassador Wnendt added.
PR OMIK SP 31/05
Edita Buçaj
Press Officer
OSCE Mission in Kosovo
Tel: +381 38 500 162 ext.118
Mob: +377 44 500 151