Arian Gashi, who was elected as the Chairperson of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC), stated during his elaboration of reasons for wanting to lead the KPC that, during his mandate, the work of the institution will be conducted impartially.
At Friday’s meeting, Gashi further declared that he will work to ensure the best possible coordination and cooperation between the Council, the Chief State Prosecutor, the Council’s bodies, and the KPC administration, in order to fulfill its constitutional and legal mandate.
Gashi said that if he leads the KPC, he will focus on increasing transparency and being more open with the media and civil society, as he expressed, “the isolation of the KPC has not served the prosecutorial system well.”
“We have all witnessed the challenges faced by the KPC in recent years, with particular emphasis on the last six months, which have undermined our independence and credibility—core constitutional principles for the functioning of the prosecutorial system. The risk of violating these key principles has been and remains very high, so my focus will be on protecting and serving the interests of the prosecutorial system, and I will never be directed toward different interest groups, whether individual, institutional, or regional. I will work continuously to preserve our independence by avoiding any tendencies of interference and strengthening safeguards against external influence,” he said.
He added that during his mandate, he will ensure that the work of the KPC is guided by constitutional guarantees, with equal and impartial treatment.
“Another key principle of the prosecutorial system is the professionalization of prosecutors and administration as an ongoing need to enable quality processes and work. Therefore, in cooperation with relevant units and partners supporting the prosecutorial system, we will strengthen professional development and career advancement of the staff. Together, we will work to further advance institutional accountability, starting with the Council members themselves and all prosecutorial structures, so that our work is based on high standards of honesty, integrity, impartiality, and transparency. Regarding accountability, integrity, and ethics, trust in the prosecutorial system is essential for a well-functioning and democratic society, including independent prosecutors. Therefore, increased accountability through checks and balances—a fundamental principle of governance guaranteed by the constitution—ensures that the Council serves as the guardian of these principles,” he emphasized.
According to him, despite divergences, thanks to the determination and integrity of the prosecutors, reforms have started and are being gradually implemented, and for the first time, the Council will have a balanced composition.
“A significant challenge was also the implementation of the amendments to the KPC law. The Council’s prosecutors, whose legislation passed all filters not only of the Constitutional Court but also of the Venice Commission, highlighted not only the divergences within the Council, but as a result of the determination and high integrity of the prosecutors, the reform has started and is now being implemented increasingly every day, transforming the Council from its old composition to the new one. For the first time, the Council will have a balanced composition with four prosecutorial members and three non-prosecutorial members, thus reflecting a comprehensive approach,” he said.
The candidate for Chairperson of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, Arian Gashi, stated that by strengthening internal mechanisms for verifying the integrity and ethics of prosecutors, it will be ensured that every prosecutor and professional staff member avoids behavior that could call into question the integrity and impartiality of the State Prosecutor’s institution.
