07.09.2007
On June 13, 2007, Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu joined leading law and government figures in Prishtina to open “The Role of Bench and Bar Organizations in Promoting the Rule of Law in Kosovo,” a conference co-sponsored by the Rule of Law Initiative with support from US Agency for International Development (USAID). The conference was the culmination of several bench-bar roundtables held in Kosovo over the last year, and was organized in partnership with the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates (KCA) and the Kosovo Judges Association.
Former ABA President Martha Barnett spoke at the event and pledged ABA support for rule of law work which she called “the most important cause in Kosovo.” Kosovo Minister of Justice Jonuz Salihaj and Dr. Michael Farbman, USAID Director for the Kosovo Mission, also addressed the conference.
Approximately fifty individuals participated in the conference, discussing issues including the Ahtisaari Plan on Kosovo Status and its impact on the judiciary, the judicial selection process, the impact of local organizations and associations on the promotion of judicial independence and competence, and the need to increase gender and ethnic diversity on the bench.
Participants recommended that the conclusions from the conference be published and include an urgent call for the appointment of more judges and an immediate increase in judge’s salaries.
For more information please contact our Senior Staff Attorney Jetish Jashariat [email protected].