Statement

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, welcome the acknowledgment by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the challenges associated with Kosovo Police officers promoting nationalistic behavior. This issue has been thoroughly documented in our report published on December 13, 2024.

We stand ready to provide our assistance in drafting a robust regulatory framework to prevent such practices. We believe that this framework will complement ongoing efforts to uphold professionalism and impartiality within the Kosovo Police, ensuring they serve all communities equitably.

However, we stress that, primarily, there needs to be accountability for the behavior that is already illegal under the existing framework. In that sense, we expect an investigation by the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo and appropriate sanctions for officers who were violating the procedures.

Furthermore, it is crucial to acknowledge that this initiative addresses only part of the problem. The continued deployment of police officers in communities they perceive as the “enemy” poses significant risks that must be recognized and addressed by the relevant institutions and the international community.

Therefore, the measures must carefully account for the complexity of the issue.

Finally, it is important to acknowledge that the only viable long-term solution lies in achieving ethnic balance within the Kosovo Police in the four northern municipalities. This will require meaningful engagement from both parties in the normalization dialogue, with a focus on fulfilling the commitments outlined in Article 6 of the Agreement on the Path to Normalization between Kosovo and Serbia, which calls for enhanced cooperation across various domains through supplementary agreements.

We call for consistent enforcement of current legal provisions, accompanied by measures that ensure compliance with international standards, balancing freedom of expression and the impartial role of the police.

We noted EULEX’s readiness for engagement in addressing this issue, and we hope that the findings of this monitoring, as well as the results of the investigation into the Subotić case, will be included in their next public report.

We remain committed to supporting this process and fostering a constructive dialogue to ensure that Kosovo Police officers uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, both online and offline.

Signatories:

New Social Initiative

Center for Affirmative Social Actions

Institute for Territorial Economic Development

Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture

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