New Push to Enforce the Code of Ethics in Kosovo

February 2008

In January, Kosovo’s three main judicial organizations—the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates (KCA), the Kosovo Judges Association (KJA) and the Kosovo Public Prosecutors Association (KPPA)—hosted a roundtable discussion on the the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s project called “Respecting the Code of Professional Ethics”. The roundtable event marked an important development for all three associations, as it enabled them to exchange the most recent developments onassociations’ code of ethics and the disciplinary system as well as their current state of enforcement by Kosovo attorneys, judges and prosecutors.

ABA ROLI supported the development of the newly revised KCA Code of Ethics. ABA ROLI also provided legal and technical support to the KCA Ethics Committee for a new disciplinary model and ethics code.

Representatives of each professional association pledged their commitment to enforce the professional Code of Ethics in the justice sector. Florin Vertopi,the president of the Committee for the Code of Ethics at Kosovo Chamber of Advocates, stated that “Kosovo’s attorneys now have not only the legal but alsothe moral obligation to respect the newly modified Code of Ethics.”

The presidents of each of the professional associations, Ramë Gashi of KCA,Ymer Huruglica of KJA and Ismet Kabashi of KPPA, believe that in the months to come their work will be focused on increasing professional’s awareness on the Code of Ethics and its importance in implementing in their day–to-day work. They agreed that better enforcement of the Code of Ethics and their disciplinary systems will help combat corruption in the legal sector in Kosovo.  

For more information please contact Fortuna Haxhikadrija <[email protected]>.