"Kosovo judiciary shows weaknesses"

"The shortcomings have been obvious during the trial unfortunately still show weaknesses which must be eliminated from the domestic institutions of rule of law if Kosovo is to reach European standards," the EU mission in Kosovo said.

When asked by Beta news agency whether the fact that Kurti's trial had been delayed so many times showed the failure of EULEX as well, which had come to Kosovo 16 months ago in order to establish the rule of law and improve the work of thejudiciary, police and customs, EULEX spokeswoman Kristiina Herodes said that the main responsibility was with the local judiciary system.

"EULEX is in Kosovo working together with the local judiciary and the main responsibility lies with them," Herodes said and repeated that Kosovo police was in charge of bringing Kurti to the court.

She also stressed that the trial chamber consisted of a mixed team of judges, including two EULEX judges. The prosecution is represented by the Kosovo Special Prosecutor's Office (KSPO).

Kurti, the leader of the radical ethnic Albanian Self-Determination Movement, is accused of participating in a group which committed crime, obstruction of officials performing their duties, and incitement to violence in February 2007, when two persons were killed and more than 80 were injured in protests.

The trial has been delayed for April 28 because neither the accused nor his defense counsel appeared in the courtroom yesterday.