Kosovo Judicial Council

It is the oversight body that aims to ensure the independence and impartiality of the judicial system, and the administration of justice in Kosovo.

The overall purpose of Kosovo Judicial Council, as mandated by the applicable legal framework is to ensure an independent, fair, apolitical, accessible, professional and impartial judicial system, which reflects the multi-ethnic nature of Kosovo as well as the internationally recognized principles of human rights and gender equality.

The Kosovo Judicial Council shall give preference in the appointment of judges to members of Communities that are underrepresented in the judiciary as provided by law.

Proposals for appointments of judges must be made on the basis of an open appointmentprocess, on the basis of the merit of the candidates, and the proposals shall reflect principles of gender equality and the ethnic composition of the territorial jurisdiction of the respective court All candidates must fulfill the selection criteria provided by law.The Kosovo Judicial Council is responsible for conducting judicial inspections, judicial administration, developing court rules in accordance with the law, hiring and supervising court administrators, developing and overseeing the budget of the judiciary, determining the number of judges in each jurisdiction and making recommendations for the establishment of new courts.

The Kosovo Judicial Council shall be composed of thirteen members, all of whom shall possess relevant professional qualifications and expertise.