Visit of the Kosovo Judiciary and Public Prosecutor's Office in Bonn

Details: Published: February 27, 2023

Expert talk at the Bonn Public Prosecutor's Office as part of the study trip for Kosovan judges and Public Prosecutors from 12–16 December 2022 in Bonn.

Kosovo

A delegation of 22 Kosovar judges, prosecutors and public prosecutors and representatives of the Kosovo Judicial Academy received some practical insights into the working methods of German courts and public prosecutor's offices from 12–16 December 2022.

The aim was also to establish a professional and exchange of experience with German colleagues and thus strengthen contacts between the institutions. The focus was on the area of the general jurisdiction of the ordinary courts.

During the study trip, the delegation exchanged views with judges from the Cologne Higher Regional Court on the structure and role of the general jurisdiction of the ordinary courts, German civil procedural law, the basics of family court proceedings and the possibilities of alternative dispute resolution in Germany. These topics were of particular interest to the participants in view of current efforts to reform Kosovo's civil procedural law based on the German model.

The delegation gained further practical experience during a visit to the Regional and Local Court in Bonn. After being welcomed by Dr Stefan Weismann, the President of the Regional Court, the delegation attended various court hearings in criminal matters. This was followed by a detailed discussion with a judge from the Regional Court, during which the participants asked specific questions about the course of the proceedings and the judicial proceedings. After a guided tour of the court museum, the delegation received an introduction to German criminal procedure law.

Another highlight of the study trip was the visit to the Bonn Public Prosecutor's Office. Here, the delegation received a comprehensive insight into the role, tasks and organisation of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Germany and information about the training and job description of a public prosecutor. Another focus of the expert exchange was on the field of international legal assistance.

The three-day study trip was characterised by intensive discussions and lively expert exchanges. The active participation of the participants once again confirmed the great interest and importance of the German-Kosovan expert exchange of experiences.

The event was funded by the Federal Foreign Office to support the project “Support for several states in the Western Balkans in consolidating rule of law and European standards”. The cooperation with the Kosovo Judicial Academy will be continued and expanded in 2023.