PRISTINA – Today, the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) voted to reject the requests of Serbian judges and support staff to withdraw the resignations they originally submitted in November 2022, it was reported by media in Pristina. The KJC voted 9 in favor, 1 against, and 1 abstention to refuse the withdrawal of resignations and recommend the formal release of these judges from duty.
Serbian judges, prosecutors, and administrative personnel collectively resigned in late 2022 following a dispute over license plate re-registration. However, they later requested to withdraw their resignations and return to work.
The procedure for formally releasing the resigning judges from their positions will proceed through the office of the acting Kosovo President Albulena Haxhiu.
Koha ditore reported that KJC member Artan Abazi opposed the reinstatement of judges and administrative staff, emphasizing that “their resignations in 2022 were irrevocable”.
“I consider that some are also involved in political activities, those who are involved in political activities have no place in the Kosovo judicial system. We do not know that any of them may have committed a criminal offense. I propose that the request for the revocation of the resignation not be approved”, Abazi noted.
By contrast, KJC member Ivana Milenković supported their return to the system, arguing that “by accepting the withdrawal of their resignations, the constitutional guarantee to citizens would be fulfilled”.
The Kosovo Prosecutorial Council made a similar decision earlier, rejecting the return of Serbian prosecutors and leading to presidential decrees for their dismissal. The European Union criticized these moves, stating that refusing the withdrawn resignations is incompatible with rule-of-law principles and urging institutions to allow the reintegration of Serbian judicial staff.
Kosovo Online reminded that in a letter sent on 19 June, 2026, to KJC Chair Rustem Thaqi, Acting President of Kosovo requested that the Council finally resolve the issue of the resignations submitted in 2022 by judges and support staff from the Serb community within Kosovo’s judicial system.
“Keeping these positions in abeyance for such a long period undermines legal certainty, hampers the full functioning of the judicial system, and affects the efficiency of the competent institutions,” the letter states.
