Prishtina, 17 May, 2023
In the meeting invited by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, the findings and recommendations of the Civil Society Report on Human Rights for 2022 were discussed.
In the spirit of partnership between the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and civil society organizations, ways of operationalizing the recommendations of the report were discussed.
Thanking Prime Minister Kurti for the meeting, representatives of civil society organizations appreciated Prime Minister Kurti’s proactive approach to the now traditional, regular annual meeting.
Prime Minister Kurti emphasized the Government’s work and commitment to human rights, equality and inclusiveness.
He mentioned the developments for justice, emphasizing vetting in the justice system, the adoption of the Rule of Law Strategy, the approval by the Venice Commission of the amendments to the Draft Law for the State Bureau for the Verification and Confiscation of Unjustifiable Assets, as well as the approval in the Law Assembly for the Prosecution Council of Kosovo.
For social and gender equality and the prevention and fight against violence against women and girls, the adoption of the National Strategy for protection from domestic violence, the launch of the State Protocol for the Treatment of Sexual Violence cases, as well as the amendment of the Criminal Code for supplementary punishments, were singled out to those found guilty of sexual assault and domestic violence.
The implementation of legality throughout the territory of the Republic was discussed. The fight against corruption, organized crime institutionally and outside the institutions, the large-scale stoppage of criminal actions within the institutions and outside them, is being conveyed with high evaluations in international reports as well.
It was said that in these two years of governance, Kosovo’s ranking has improved by 20 places in Transparency International for the fight against corruption, 22 places in the Freedom of the World Press according to the Reporters without Borders index. We have been ranked first in the Balkans, second in Europe and third in the world for progress in political rights and civil liberties, as well as first in the Western Balkans for the Rule of Law for two years in a row by the World Justice Project.
Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that the Government continues to be committed to inclusiveness and equality. The proceedings in the Assembly of the proposal for the inclusion of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Constitution of Kosovo were emphasized.
Also present at the joint meeting were the Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu and the Director of the Office for Good Governance, Habit Hajredini, as well as representatives of the Human Rights Network: Marigona Shabiu (YIHR), Afrim Maliqi (HANDIKOS), Gzim Shala (IKD), Luljeta Demolli (KKSGJ), Senad Ibishi (VoRAE), Blert Morina (CEL), Rrustem Gashi (Hendikos) and Ilir Vitija (YIHR).
Last modified: May 18, 2023