Europeanization of the Rule of Law in Western Balkans – the peculiar case of the EU’s transformative power failure in Kosovo Doctoral (PhD) dissertation thesis written by: Lorik Pustina (Dissertation submitted to preliminary debate) Supervisor: Dr. habil. Soós Edit University of Szeged Doctoral School of Law and Political Sciences Szeged, 2020 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................................................5 I. Introduction ..............................................................................................................................6 I.1. Europeanization of the rule of law in the context of the Western Balkans – what is known so far? 9 I.2. Historical facts (ending of World War 2 – 1999) ......................................................................... 11 I. 3. The Kosovo – Serbia conflict and the international presence ................................................... 13 1.4. The independence of Kosovo (17 February 2008) ....................................................................... 16 I.5. The impact of Europeanization on the Western Balkans (2008-2019) ...................................... 22 II. Literature review – The theoretical concept of Europeanization ............................................. 23 II.1. Research aims and expected outcome ......................................................................................... 31 II. 2. Contribution to the scientific field .......................................................................................... 32 II.3. Hypothesis and Research Questions ............................................................................................ 33 III. Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 36 III.1. Specific research questions and approach ................................................................................ 36 III.2. Basic approach of data collection ............................................................................................... 37 III.3. Potential Limitations and Contribution of Research ............................................................... 39 IV. The Europeanization and the Rule of Law in Kosovo – empirical findings .............................. 40 IV.1. The (UN)forgettable Mission in Kosovo ................................................................................ 41 IV. 2. The establishment of International Civilian Office and the EU Rule of Law Mission ......... 46 IV.3. The grim side of the rainbow - cases of Nuhi Uka and Ramadan Muja ................................. 58 IV.3.1. The case of Ramadan Muja ................................................................................................. 59 IV.3.2 The case of Nuhi Uka............................................................................................................. 61 IV.4. From EU progress reports to EC country reports: the case of Kosovo (2008 – 2019) .......... 65 IV. 5. Impact of EU instruments and mechanisms on Kosovo .......................................................... 68 IV.5.1. The Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) .................................................... 71 IV.5.2. National Plan for the Implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (NPISAA) ........................................................................................................................................... 72 IV.5.3.The European Reform Agenda (ERA) ................................................................................ 73 IV. 5.4. The Economic Reform Program (ERP) ............................................................................. 74 IV.5.5. The annual EU country report ........................................................................................ 75 IV.5.6. Visa liberalization ............................................................................................................. 75 2 IV.5.7. Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA II) 2014-2020 financial perspective ......................... 76 V. Challenges of Improving Anti-Corruption Institutional Framework in Kosovo (2008 - 2019) 78 V.1. Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) of Kosovo ........................................................................... 83 V.2. Kosovo Police: Special Anti-corruption Department............................................................. 86 V.3. Kosovo Police: Directorate against Economic Crime and Corruption Investigation (DECCI) 89 V.4. Police Inspectorate of Kosovo .................................................................................................. 90 V. 5. State Prosecutor, National Coordinator for Combating Economic Crimes, appointed by the State Chief Prosecutor’s Office ................................................................................................. 91 V.6. Basic Prosecution Office of Pristina: Anti-corruption and Economic Crime Units ........... 93 V.6. 1. Special Prosecution Office of the Republic of Kosovo (SPRK) ......................................... 94 V.7. Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC) ...................................................................................... 96 V.8. Financial Intelligent Unit (FIU) ............................................................................................... 97 V.9. The Agency for Managing Seized and Confiscated Assets (AMSCA) ................................ 100 V.10. The role/impact of the European Union in increasing the oversight and advocacy role of the civil society organizations............................................................................................................. 106 VI. The legality of the Pristina - Belgrade political dialogue: the queer case of Kosovo’s Historic Agreement .................................................................................................................................... 110 VI.1. From UN to EU – the dialogue endeavors of Kosovo and Serbia (2013-still ongoing) ....... 113 VI.2. Agreements reached so far between Pristina and Belgrade and their state of implementation .................................................................................................................................... 116 VI.3. The Association of Serb Municipalities (ASM) an NGO or executive body? Its Legal and Constitutional impact within the Europeanization prism ............................................................... 120 VI.3.1. The Constitutional Court verdict ...................................................................................... 120 VI.3.2. The Europeanization and the cultural autonomy in Kosovo .......................................... 123 VII. The Milestone – how towards Public Administration and modernization of the public sector institutions in Kosovo ................................................................................................................... 128 VII.1. Developments of the Public Administration (1974-1989) ..................................................... 129 VII. 2. The UN efficiency – they gave Kosovo freedom but no future?.......................................... 131 VII.3. The handover of the “reform and development” baton from UNMIK to the European Union .................................................................................................................................................... 134 VII.4. Brief overview on the Administration legal framework of Kosovo ..................................... 138 VIII. The (un)constitutional Constitution of Kosovo: The path toward a modern Constitution? .. 141 VIII.1. Historic development of constitutional changes across the years ...................................... 144 VIII.1.1. Constitution of 1974 ........................................................................................................ 145 VIII.1.2. Constitutional amendments of 1989 ............................................................................... 146 VIII.1.3. The Constitution of Kaçanik 1990 ................................................................................. 147 3 VIII.2. The Ahtisaari Constitution – the not well thought provision of minority protection....... 148 VIII.2.1. The drafting and the adoption of the 2008 Constitution .............................................. 151 VIII. 2.2. International and Kosovo’s legal framework for minority’s protection ................... 153 VIII.3. Overlooking the Western Balkans ........................................................................................ 158 VIII.3.1. Minorities in Croatia ....................................................................................................... 159 VIII.3.2. Minorities in Montenegro ............................................................................................... 161 VIII.3.3. Minorities in North Macedonia ...................................................................................... 162 XI. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 167 X. List of Interviews...................................................................................................................... 174 XI. Annexes .................................................................................................................................