Green light for Kosovo war crimes court

Pristina, 15 April 2015 (MIA) - Kosovo's Constitutional Court on Wednesday unanimously adopted an amendment regarding the setting up a special war crimes court.

The court established that amendment to chapters 2 and 3 of the Kosovo Constitution is acceptable as it does not diminish human rights and freedoms, and in this way, "effectively green-lighted" the setting up of the war crimes court.

After the decision of the court, the amendment should be passed by the Kosovo assembly at the end of this month or in early May, along with a law on establishing a special war crimes court.

A two-thirds majority - or 81 votes of the total 120 assembly members - will be required to pass the law.

The ruling majority has 67 members in the assembly, and the passage the law practically depends on support from minorities - which have 20 assembly members - as the opposition is against the law.

Kosovo's and international officials have warned that the UN Security Council will establish a special war crimes court in case the Kosovo assembly fails to do so.

The court should deal with the war crimes committed by the now disbanded so-called Kosovo Liberation army (KLA).