On 09 November, nine lawyers from the Oslo branch of the Norwegian Bar Association visited EULEX and got briefed by some of our Mission’s experts.

The visitors were welcomed by Ioanna Lachana, Head of EULEX Press and Public Information Office and Spokesperson, who gave a comprehensive overview of our Mission’s mandate, how it evolved over the years, and the challenges the Mission faced during the implementation of its mandate.

Heidi Heggdal, EULEX Justice Monitor from Norway, explained to the Oslo Bar Association how the Mission’s Justice Monitors track the status of specific cases and prepare reports with findings and recommendations for the Kosovo rule-of-law institutions. Heggdal explained that a unique characteristic of EULEX’s mandate is the access to case files, as part of the Mission’s robust thematic and systemic monitoring.

The day continued with Grzegorz Lewocki, EULEX’s Thematic Lead Monitor in Case Administration and Management, who briefed the visitors about how the court system in Kosovo works. A pleasant coincidence was that it was the Norwegian government who has financially helped build the Case Management Information System, which operates in all Kosovo courts since 2018.

Murlan Prizreni, EULEX’s Legal Advisor, shared his personal experience from when he fled from the war in Kosovo and spent some time as a refugee in Norway. He expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome he received in Norway during these hard times. As a local Legal Advisor, Prizreni has been with EULEX since 2008. He described his experience in the Mission as rewarding and challenging.

The group of lawyers were very interested to know about the challenges the Mission faced in the past while investigating and adjudicating war crimes, how the Mission facilitates the exchange of information between Kosovo Police and Interpol, and many other issues related to EULEX’s mandate.