At a conference organized by the European Union Office in Kosovo, in which took part Deputy Minister of Justice, Daut Xhemajli, Christof Stock, Head of Operations at the EU Office in Kosovo, Peter Blomeyer, German Ambassador in Kosovo, and Thomas Hackner, project Leader of the EU member state, was launched the twinning project "Strengthening the International Legal Cooperation."

This project is part of a broader EU support in improving standards and performance in the field of legal cooperation. International legal cooperation in criminal justice enables effective prosecution, effective trial of national and international crimes, as well as the prosecution of organized crime and terrorism.

Deputy Minister, Xhemajli said that one of the main challenges in the field of rule of law is the international legal cooperation, as an important criterion for the Process of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and the Visa Liberalization. He thanked the European Commission for the support given to the proposal of the Ministry of Justice given the IPA project for International Judicial Cooperation in civil and criminal matters.

Deputy Minister said that the Ministry of Justice consists of the Department for International Legal Cooperation, which manages the cooperation with various countries of the world. According to him, until now, Kosovo has signed agreements on international cooperation in criminal matters with Belgium, Turkey, Macedonia, Switzerland, Croatia, etc., whereas it is soon expected the signing of agreements with Germany, Italy and Montenegro. He said they intend to increase cooperation in criminal matters, in particular with the EU member states by increasing human capacities in order to meet the requirements arising from the process of European integration.

Deputy Minister, Xhemajli said they have good cooperation with the courts, prosecutor offices, the Kosovo Police, the Kosovo embassies and consulates around the world, the embassies and liaison offices of foreign countries in Kosovo, Interpol, the Hague Conference on private international law and with every national and international institution related to the field of international legal cooperation in civil and criminal matters, while as a challenge he mentioned the cooperation with countries that have not recognized Kosovo.

This 700 thousand euros project will last 18 months. Twinning projects include EU experts who work together with their counterparts in a government institution. Currently the EU Office in Kosovo is managing 11 twinning projects in the field of rule of law and public administration.