Kosovo Special Court ‘Dinner Incident’ Sparks Impartiality Calls

Lawyer Arianit Koci dining with judge Vladimir Mikula in Pristina on Monday. Photo: BIRN.

The Humanitarian Law Centre's call came after judge Vladimir Mikula, who has been appointed to the Specialist Chambers, was seen dining with Kosovo lawyer Arianit Koci at a restaurant in Pristina.

Koci is the lawyer for former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders Rrustem Mustafa and Sami Lushtaku, who have already been questioned by the Specialist Prosecutor's Office in The Hague about crimes that could be subject to prosecutions.

"Even if it was a social or casual dinner, the judge, with his behaviour outside the court should protect and enhance the confidence of the public and the parties [involved in cases] in his impartiality and in the judiciary in general," Amer Alija from the Humanitarian Law Centre Kosovo told BIRN.

Alija said that Specialist Chambers judges should avoid any actions that might affect their judicial functions.

However, the dinner incident "should not put the court's impartiality into question", Alija added.

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers confirmed that Mikula has been appointed to its roster of international judges.

But the court explained that judges on the roster "are only required to exercise official functions at the request and upon assignment of the [Specialist Chambers'] President [Ekaterina] Trendafilova".

"Judge Mikula has not been assigned to a case by President Trendafilova and we are therefore not in a position to comment any further," said Angela Griep, the head of the Public Information and Communication Unit at the Specialist Chambers.

Court president Trendafilova issued a statement on Wednesday pointing out that Mikula does not have access to any confidential information about the activities...