The Assembly of Kosovo [official website, in Albanian] voted press release] Friday to extend the European mandate known as EU Rule of Law mission (EULEX ) [official website] for two years. The move comes after the EU voted [press release] on Monday to extend and fully fund the mandate until 2018. The parliament had previous issues [press release] about the mandate in regards to what types of cases the organization would prosecute and their relationships with local officials. As a result Prime Minster Mustafa [official website, Albanian] had to take to the assembly floor to alleviate negative attitudes about the program and fears of corruption. After much debate the measure was approved by 84-6 and adopted after a second review.

EULEX was established to aid Kosovo in the rule of law application when it comes to instances such as war crimes that may cause conflict with in the region. Two independent human rights experts called [JURIST report] upon the UN in April to put into motion a plan to redress damages suffered by internationally displaced persons who were exposed to lead poisoning at camps settled by the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in 1998 and 1999. The head of the UN mission in Kosovo said in March that Kosovo is set to face “complex challenges” this year and should shift focus towards more fundamental issues [JURIST report] “such as the intrinsic links between post-conflict development, enforcement of the rule of law, and human rights,” rather than politics. The Dutch government in January announced [JURIST report] the establishment of a special court being set up in The Hague to investigate and try alleged war crimes committed by ethnic Albanian rebels during and after Kosovo’s 1998-99 guerilla war.