The United States' contribution to the Specialist Chambers in The Hague is mainly focused on funding employees appointed by state authorities. This is what the Court's spokesperson, Angela Griep, told Radio Free Europe when asked whether the institution's funding would be affected after the temporary suspension of US funding.
Griep did not provide information on whether the Court's staff, who come from the US, are affected by this decision or not.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order freezing international aid for 90 days. The freeze on aid programs is part of the US president's effort to align these programs with his foreign policy goals.
However, there is no confirmation whether this suspension also affects the Specialist Chambers and the Kosovo Specialist Prosecutor's Office, based in The Hague, Netherlands.
These institutions, also known as the Special Courts, investigate alleged crimes committed by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army against ethnic minorities and political rivals from January 1998 to December 2000.
Currently, several trials are underway in The Hague against former KLA leaders, and the court has also announced several convictions.
The Special Court is funded by the European Union, but also by contributing third countries, including the United States, Canada, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
The Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor's Office currently have a budget of 97.1 million euros, covering the period from 15 June 2023 to 14 June 2025.
The entire budget is financed by the EU, but other countries also contribute to certain programs.
In this context, the US mainly contributes to the financing of some employees, says Griep.
According to the Court's latest annual report, which dates back to 2023, the US ranks second, after the Netherlands – the host state of the Court – in terms of the number of staff in the Specialist Chambers and the Office of the Specialist Prosecutor.
US-appointed staff members in various positions provide their expertise to the Special Court.
The Specialist Chambers and the Prosecutor's Office employ two categories of staff: seconded staff and contracted staff. However, the Specialist Chambers also receive contributions from EU and other contributing countries.
The US funds its workers who are appointed through state authorities.
At the Special Court, these employees who are assigned to work in The Hague also remain employed in institutions in the US, mainly in the Government, international organizations or law enforcement agencies.
These employees generally, but also depending on the procedures of the states for appointing personnel, serve on the Special Court for at least one year, with the possibility of extension of service.
Their expenses, including salaries, health insurance contributions, travel expenses and other compensation, are covered by the state that appointed them.
They are also paid daily wages, depending on the circumstances.
Among the American employees are also specialized judges and prosecutors. The vice president of the court is American Charles L. Smith III, while the chief prosecutor is American Kimberly West, who took up this position in 2023.
Judge Smith is also the lead judge in the court's largest case, the one against former KLA leaders: former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, former parliamentarians Jakup Krasniqi and Kadri Veseli, and former MP Rexhep Selimi.
According to the data, as of December 31, 2023, the Special Court employed 283 people, of whom nearly 30 were from the US. The number of employees appointed through state authorities also increased in 2023, and three of them were from the US and Switzerland.
The Special Court's donors cover the institution's operating costs, but also fund certain programs and aspects of its operations. For example, Norway has funded the renovation of the Court's building, and Switzerland, through a grant, has contributed to the funding of the outreach program since 2018./ REL (A2 Televizion)
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