Kosovo war crimes prosecutions hampered by lack of Serbian cooperation

Kosovo’s Special Prosecutor’s Office faces major obstacles in investigating and prosecuting war crimes. Officials cite outdated Yugoslav-era legislation, an inadequate legal framework and limited institutional capacity as structural problems.

A panel organized by the Human Rights Fund highlighted the critical need for legal reforms, professional training and a centralized case database. Prosecutor Ilir Morina stressed that most evidence and suspects are located in Serbia, and that Serbia’s refusal to provide judicial cooperation severely hampers evidence collection.

The office has increasingly resorted to trials in absentia, a relatively new practice in Kosovo, which lawyers such as Naim Rudari say requires further training and expert support from the international community. The challenges affect victims’ right to justice, risk impunity and undermine public confidence in the justice system.