UNMIK/PR/409

PRESS RELEASE - 8 November 2000

SRSG Appoints International Judge to Supreme Court

PRISTINA---SRSG Dr. Bernard Kouchner today appointed international judge Antti Ruotsalainen to the Kosovo Supreme Court, Pristina.  Judge Ruostsalainen was sworn-in at a ceremony this afternoon. He is the first international judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court.

Judge Ruostsalainen  was earlier working in the districts courts of both Gjilane and Mitrovica assisting local judges with sensitive cases. He began working as an international judge in Kosovo in June 2000.

Judge Ruostsalainen is a native of Finland where he served as the head of the District Court in Kotka for five years and in the Court of Appeals for 10 years prior to that.

There are currently nine international judges and three international prosecutors working in all the regions of Kosovo.

UNMIK Regulation 2000/06 authorises the SRSG to appoint and remove from office international judges and prosecutors to work in the courts of Kosovo for the purpose of assisting the judicial process in the province.