A large share of individual applications lodged before the Constitutional Court of Kosovo* (approximately 60%) pertain to alleged violations of the right to a fair trial. Within this broad field, 23 legal professionals of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo* and the Constitutional Court of Albania were invited to discuss targeted issues, such as access to court and re-opening of proceedings, assessment of evidence proposed by parties – including absent witnesses and evidence provided by independent experts – and implications of the right to a trial within reasonable time.
During this seminar organised by the Council of Europe project on “Support to the Constitutional Court in Applying and Disseminating European Human Rights Standards – Phase II,” participants analysed issues deriving from the practice of their respective courts. They engaged in productive discussions and exchange with international experts, thereby reinforcing their knowledge about the practical implications of standards set by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
This was the first capacity-building activity held in the framework of a new cycle of cooperation with the Constitutional Court of Kosovo*. To enhance implementation of the ECHR, the project offers a combination of thematic workshops, on-the-job training, and peer-to-peer learning. The project will help consolidating the role of the Constitutional Court in the national judicial system, particularly through structured dialogue with other courts. It will also encourage synergies with the Justice Academy and the Law Faculty, and work along with lawyers of Bar Association on admissibility criteria to the Constitutional Court and other human rights standards.
* All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations' Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.
