[legal-professionals] OSCE trains legal professionals on new Provisional Criminal Codes for Kosovo

PRISTINA, 2 October 2003 - The OSCE-established Kosovo Judicial Institute 
(KJI) will host two training sessions this week to introduce Kosovo's legal 
community to the reforms contained in the new Provisional Criminal Code and 
Criminal Procedure Code.

The opening remarks tomorrow will be given by Bajram Rexhepi, the Prime 
Minister of Kosovo and Rexhep Haxhimusa, President of the Supreme Court of 
Kosovo. Other speakers include the Deputy UN Special Representative for 
Police and Justice, Jean Christian Cady, and the Acting Head of the OSCE 
Mission in Kosovo, Rolf Van Uye.

Philip Kanning, Co-Director of the KJI said that 6 April 2004 was a date 
that members of the Kosovo criminal justice community would look forward to 
with a mixture of grateful anticipation and some uncertainty.

"It marks the effective date for the new Provisional Criminal and Criminal 
Procedure Codes in the Municipal, District and Supreme Courts," he said.
The Codes were drafted over several years by members of the Kosovo legal 
community and international experts after consultation with dozens of 
interested groups and reflect general trends in criminal law reform in the 
region and in
Europe.

The new Codes make changes in the established offences and methods used in 
the criminal courts. The Codes also adopt new provisions relating to the 
rights of victims and those charged with offences that are consistent with 
international human rights law.

"The legal community in Kosovo hopes that these changes will bring greater 
consistency and transparency to the criminal justice system and will 
improve the efficiency of the courts," Philip Kanning added.

This initial programme will be offered to all judges and prosecutors from 
the municipal courts, district courts and the Supreme Court, as well as 
defence attorneys and trainers from the Kosovo Police Service School (KPSS).


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