Recent legislative proposals aimed at combatting corruption and reforming the judicial system, including the establishment of a commercial court are the factors, that could lead to more favorable conditions for foreign investments in Kosovo, according to RZZ Law Partner Engjell Rexhepi.
The Buzz in Kosovo: Interview with Urim Vokshi of Vokshi & Lata Law Firm
The recent peaceful transition of power following parliamentary and local elections in Kosovo demonstrated the country’s commitment to democratic values, according to Vokshi & Lata Law Firm Partner Urim Vokshi.
Natural Gas Sector in Kosovo – Challenges Ahead
In 2016, Kosovo adopted Law No. 05/L-082 on Natural Gas (the Natural Gas Law). The purpose of the law was to lay down a legal basis for the establishment of a legal framework that will govern the transmission, distribution, supply, usage, and storage of natural gas. The Natural Gas Law is deemed to be aligned with EU law, including Directive No. 2009/73/EC on common rules of the internal European natural gas market and Regulation No. 715/2009/EC on conditions of access to natural gas transmission networks.
The Buzz in Kosovo: Interview with Kujtim Kerveshi of Kerveshi & Partners
Despite high political aims and a comfortable single-party majority in Parliament, the current Government of the Republic of Kosovo has been surprisingly slow on legislative activity, according to Kerveshi & Partners Partner Kujtim Kerveshi. “They could do what they want but are not doing much.”
Data Controllers and Processors Not Seated in Kosovo
The right to privacy that is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo is embodied in the new Law on Protection of Personal Data, which was approved in January 2019 as an amendment and supplement to the old law, which had been in force since 2010. With the introduction of the new LPPD, Kosovo has implemented an advanced and comprehensive regulatory and institutional framework for data protection, incorporating the main principles and provisions of the EU General Data Protection Regulation.
Kosovo: Transformation and Reform of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Kosovo
The pharmaceutical sector in Kosovo is undergoing three major policy and legal reforms to increase its competitiveness and transparency. These reforms are part of a national project to improve the underdeveloped and under-regulated pharmaceutical market which would, in turn, encourage increased spending in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector.
Legal Overview of Construction of New Buildings and Housing in Kosovo
Acquisition of property ownership in Kosovo is regulated by the Law on Property and Other Real Rights. The Law on Property, along with the Law on Cadaster, sets out the process of acquisition and registration of property in Kosovo. The Law on Property regulates the creation, content, transfer, protection, and termination of real rights, while the Law on Cadaster regulates the basis for the registration and recognition of the real rights by creating cadastral units for parcels, buildings, part of buildings, and utilities.
Guest Editorial: Navigating the Crisis in the Western Balkans
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the Western Balkans right during a period of accelerating economic activity and a promising economic outlook for 2020. The rapid spread of the virus forced the governments of the Western Balkans countries to introduce protective measures, lockdowns, and temporary business shutdowns. These restrictions had a devastating direct economic impact on a wide range of sectors – particularly the hospitality and transport industries – and the measures had many indirect side effects that significantly decreased economic activity.
Kosovo: Energy Matters in Kosovo
The energy infrastructure in Kosovo has not undergone major change over the past few decades. Due to high reserves of lignite, 97% of Kosovo’s electricity generation comes from two aging coal power plants. Unfortunately, lignite-coal of the kind found in Kosovo is among the most polluting and least efficient sources of energy. Consequently, Kosovo’s infrastructure is outdated and a major source of air pollution.
General Counsel as Business Advisors in the Balkans
In addition to their traditional role guiding companies through legal and regulatory waters and managing disputes, General Counsels are increasingly called upon to provide input on strategic matters. An expert panel at the second annual Balkan GC Summit considered how this change in the nature of the General Counsel role is manifesting itself in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.
From Lawyer to Law-Maker: An Interview with Kosovo Lawyer and Parliamentarian Korab Sejdiu
In summer 2017, after Sejdiu & Qerkini Partner Korab Sejdiu was elected to the Kosovo Parliament, he suspended his law license and left private practice. We checked in with Sejdiu to learn more about his new role and experience.
A Night of Celebration at CEE Deal of the Year Awards Banquet in Prague
The winners of the 2017 CEE Deal of the Year Awards were announced at the first ever CEE Legal Matters Deal of the Year Awards Banquet last night in Prague. The biggest smiles in the joyous and music-filled celebration of CEE lawyering, perhaps, were on the faces of Partners from Avellum and Sayenko Kharenko, which, along with White & Case and Latham & Watkins, won the award both for Ukrainian Deal of the Year and CEE Deal of the Year for their work on the 2017 Ukraine Eurobond Issue (a story initially reported by CEE Legal Matters on October 2, 2017).
A Decade After Independence: Hope, Dissapointment, and Potential in Kosovo
Kosovo declared its independence on February 17, 2008, nine years after the 1999 conclusion of its conflict with Serbia, during which time it operated under the protection of the United Nation Mission in Kosovo. The post-war climate in the country was full of hopes for new beginnings, and in 2008 the newly sovereign state began the process of establishing effective and fair legislation, developing an independent economy, and building a protective environment for its citizens.