Prishtina, 10 September 2025
The Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, took part in the national conference “A Community Without Addiction”, organized by the Office for Good Governance within the Office of the Prime Minister in partnership with the Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection, Trust Circle Foundation, and the organization Labyrinth.
The conference aims to foster an inclusive dialogue among state institutions, civil society organizations, professionals, and the community, to address and prevent the use of narcotic substances among children and youth, while promoting a cross-sectoral approach, preventive measures, and support for the rehabilitation and reintegration of children and young people who use narcotic substances.
In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister stated that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo clearly understands that the fight against addiction requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach, beginning with prevention, followed by education and awareness-raising, providing psycho-social and healthcare support to reduce harm for those who use drugs, and ensuring dignified rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
“We are strengthening the Police in the fight against the distribution of narcotic substances, while also investing in treatment centers and rehabilitation programs for our youth. One example of this cooperation is the support of nearly €39,000 that the Ministry of Justice has allocated to the organization Labyrinth for 2025. At the same time, the Ministry of Health increased its support from €16,000 in 2023 to €44,000 in 2024, while for the next 30 months close to €60,000 have been allocated in the field of education and awareness-raising on testing for HIV and Hepatitis C among injecting drug users. A program led by so-called peer educators, where members of the community are offered both a leadership role and a stronger supervisory role within the community, is also part of our current action plan. In parallel, we are investing in preventive, educational programs and treatment and rehabilitation services for drug users, in order to reduce the health and social damage of addiction. Through this commitment, Kosovo aims to build a safer and healthier society,” said the Prime Minister.
He also emphasized the commitment to implementing the National Anti-Drug Strategy 2024–2028 as one of the priorities for protecting public health and citizens’ security, adding that through this strategy and the Action Plan, clear measures have been defined, combining the fight against drug distribution chains with the strengthening of educational mechanisms, especially for school-age youth, while keeping prevention and rehabilitation at the center of focus.
The Prime Minister called for a united and unwavering front against addiction, stressing that only an aware, engaged, and active community can create a future free of addiction.
“We know that the challenge is enormous, but we cannot accept addiction becoming the bitter reality of our streets, our schools, or our families. This is a battle we can only win together — institutions, the police, municipalities, civil society, the media, schools, parents, and young people themselves,” stated the Prime Minister, expressing his hope that cooperation among public institutions, the Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection, and civil society organizations will continue to be fruitful, for the benefit of all children of Kosovo without distinction.
Full Speech of Prime Minister Kurti:
Honourable Acting Minister of Justice, Mr. Blerim Sallahu,
Honourable Director of the Office for Good Governance in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr. Habit Hajredini,
Honourable Director of the Psychiatric Clinic, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Dr. Faton Kutllofci,
Honourable President of the Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection, Ms. Remzije Krasniqi,
Honourable Director of the Labyrinth Center, Mr. Safet Blakaj,
Distinguished representatives of NGOs and international organizations in Kosovo,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear participants,
We have gathered today for a common battle, a battle for life, for dignity, and for the future and children. “A community without addiction” is more than a slogan — it is a national mission that calls upon all of us, without exception.
We are here together, because together we are committed to a free society, where every child and every young person will have the opportunity to live with dignity and hope.
Dear participants,
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo clearly understands that the fight against addiction requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach, beginning with prevention, continuing with education and awareness-raising, providing psycho-social and healthcare support to reduce harm for those who use drugs, and ensuring dignified rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Therefore, we are committed to implementing the National Anti-Drug Strategy 2024–2028 as one of the priorities for protecting public health and citizens’ safety. Through this strategy and the Action Plan, we have defined clear measures that combine the fight against drug distribution chains with strengthening educational mechanisms, particularly among school-age youth, while also focusing on prevention and rehabilitation.
We are strengthening the Police in the fight against the distribution of narcotic substances, while also investing in treatment centers and rehabilitation programs for our youth. One example of this cooperation is the support of nearly €39,000 that the Ministry of Justice has allocated to the organization Labyrinth for 2025. At the same time, the Ministry of Health increased its support from €16,000 in 2023 to €44,000 in 2024, while for the next 30 months close to €60,000 have been allocated in the field of education and awareness-raising on testing for HIV and Hepatitis C among injecting drug users. A program led by peer educators, where members of the community are offered both a leadership role and a stronger supervisory role within the community, is also part of our current action plan.
In parallel, we are investing in preventive and educational programs, as well as treatment and rehabilitation services for drug users, in order to reduce the health and social damage of addiction. Through this commitment, Kosovo aims to build a safer and healthier society.
Dear participants,
We know that the challenge is enormous, but we cannot accept addiction becoming the bitter reality of our streets, our schools, or our families.
This is a battle we can only win together — institutions, the police, municipalities, civil society, the media, schools, parents, and young people themselves.
Therefore, today we call for a united and unwavering front against addiction. Only an aware, engaged, and active community can create a future free of addiction.
I thank you for your dedication and contribution, especially the Office for Good Governance in the Prime Minister’s Office, the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the organization Labyrinth, and all our partners.
I hope that the strong cooperation between public institutions, the Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection, and civil society organizations will continue to be fruitful, for the benefit of all children of Kosovo without distinction.
We are together in this journey with strength, determination, and shared hope.
Let us continue to count on each other.
Thank you!
