Eurasia Press & News
The presiding judge of the PriŠtina District Court ruled on Tuesday that the trial of Albin Kurti be postponed until April 13, EULEX said.
Kurti is the leader of the radical ethnic Albanian Self-Determination movement.
The reasons for the postponement are the fact that the Priština District Court was unable to find replacements for a member of the judicial council, who is on sick leave, and for the court-appointed lawyer Ramiz Krasnici, who failed to appear at today’s hearing.
Unfortunately, this shows a consistent weakness that the legal institutions need to handle within the framework of the local justice system, if Kosovo wants to reach European standards, EULEX assessed in its statement.
The rule of law in every modern, democratic society is based on one key principle – that everyone is equal before the law. No one is above the law and all those who are charged with a crime have the clear and basic right to defend themselves in a court of law, EULEX noted.
The case against Kurti was taken over from UNMIK and it is a normal court case which must be solved like any other, it is added in the statement.
Kurti is charged with participating in a group which committed the criminal act of obstructing officials while carrying out official activity and inciting resistance.
