The Head of EULEX, Yves de Kermabon, has issued the following statement regarding the return of Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb judges and prosecutors to the Mitrovica District Court:

“As discussions are continuing between the relevant stakeholders, the local judges and prosecutors will not return to the Mitrovica District Court on the 15th of July. In fact, no date has yet been set for this. For the time being, the court is partly functional, operating only with EULEX judges and prosecutors.

Once more, I must reiterate the urgent need to restore the full functionality of the Mitrovica District Court, and the best way forward is to find solutions in coordination with all relevant stakeholders.

The most important issue is that everyone, regardless of ethnicity, has free and fair access to the law. The full functioning of the court is a matter of urgency and of basic human rights.

The return of Kosovo Serb and Kosovo Albanian judges and prosecutors will ensure that justice will be delivered by a single court and multi-ethnic judiciary which will benefit all communities.

EULEX will continue to work hard to achieve this goal.”