Kosovo’s President Makes First Judicial Appointments – Five Supreme Court Judges

The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Madam Atifete Jahjaga, appointed five new judges to the Supreme Court in August, 2011. This marks the first judicial appointments by President Jahjaga. More significantly, it is the first appointment under the recently approved procedures to ensure transparency and quality in judicial appointments.

Under the Kosovo Constitution, the President has the authority to appoint and dismiss judges, based on the recommendations of the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC). Through USAID's Effective Rule of Law Program (USAID/EROL), technical assistance was provided in the implementation of secondary legislation, particularly the drafting and deliberation among stakeholders of a circular which outlines the procedures for Presidential Appointment of judicial staff. The circular set out transparent internal procedures for the President’s Office without affecting or reducing the KJC’s constitutional authority as an independent constitutional body. USAID/EROL's work with the Office of the President and the KJC culminated in today's Supreme Court appointments. All five candidates who were nominated were reviewed and approved as set out in the circular that USAID/EROL developed. Two of the five Supreme Court judges are minorities (one is a Kosovo Turk and one is a Kosovo Serb). This brings the total number of minorities on the Supreme Court bench within one judge of the constitutionally mandated 15%.