Thank you, Mr. President,

I should like to begin by thanking President Gatti Santana and Prosecutor Brammertz for their insightful report and the detailed briefing. Albania commends their efforts and dedication to the pursuit of justice in full compliance with their mandate.

We express our condolences for the passing of Judge Elisabeth Ibanda-Nahamya of Uganda and and pay tribute to her work and legacy that she leaves behind.

Allow me to state from the outset that Albania strongly supports the work of the Mechanism as an international judicial body in pursuit of accountability for the most serious crimes under international criminal law.

By seeking accountability, the Mechanism lays the foundations for reconciliation, peace, and stability.

The Mechanism’s ruling on 31 May 2023, which decided to expand the conviction for Stanisic and Simatovic, rather than acquitting them, is a milestone development in the quest for justice in the Balkans.

We commend the valuable work of the OTP and the track team that succeeded in finding and arresting Mr. Kayishema. Indeed another milestone achievement for international justice.

However, we regret that Mr. Kabuga was declared unfit to stand trial. Albania stands with the victims and their families and strongly supports their quest for justice.

Mr. President,

These tangible results in achieving justice for atrocities in the Balkans demonstrate the value of the Mechanism’s work.

But there is a real need for active support and cooperation from all member states, for the Mechanism to deliver justice and heed the demand for justice from thousands of victims and their families in the Balkans and elsewhere.

Member states are obliged to cooperate with the Mechanism to arrest, surrender and execute arrest warrants without delay. We call on all member states to cooperate fully and in good faith with the Mechanism.

In this regard, we deplore the persistent refusal to cooperate with the Mechanism. In particular, the arrest warrants for Jojic and Radeta must be executed by Serbia promptly to make sure that they face justice.

Failure to cooperate fully and in good faith with the Mechanism goes not only against rulings of ICTY: it also offends and dishonors the memory of thousands of victims everywhere, not least in Srebrenica, Vukovar, and Raçak.

These atrocities are part of the darkest chapter of the Balkans and need to be properly addressed in order to open a new chapter of reconciliation and lasting peace in the region and beyond.

Fighting impunity, incitement to violence as well as the denial of atrocities and condemning the glorification of war criminals, is crucial to prevent the repetition of heinous crimes, properly recognize their lingering effects across the Balkans and forge ahead towards a more hopeful future.

In closing, Mr. President, Albania reaffirms its strong support for international Courts in fighting impunity and delivering justice everywhere. The Security Council must ensure that the Mechanism gets the resources it needs to fully complete its mandate.

I thank you!