Euractiv: Abuses and violence by Kosovo Police are slowing down the EU accession path

Increasing reports of police abuses in Kosovo “raise uncomfortable questions for the European Union,” one of the main financial backers of the Kosovo Police, notes the Brussels-based portal Euractiv in an article stating that “mounting allegations of abuse and ethnic tensions are putting Kosovo’s police forces — and their membership prospects — to the test.” It also states that police actions in Kosovo continue to exacerbate tensions between the EU and Pristina, raising the question of whether Kosovo’s EU membership application will ever be taken seriously.

“Although Kosovo formally applied for EU membership in 2022, recent developments have led some officials in Brussels to question Kosovo’s willingness to uphold the rule of law and protect minority rights — two core accession criteria,” Euractiv writes.

The article notes that in recent weeks, more than 10 police officers have been suspended in connection with several incidents, including the death of 27-year-old Agon Zajnulahu in Lipljan. In that case, five officers have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

The Kosovo Police force consists of about 10,000 uniformed and civilian personnel. Of these, more than 15% are women, and about 10% belong to non-Albanian ethnic communities, while the rest are ethnic Albanians.

Over the past five years, the EU has invested €3 million in aid and €1.5 million in training for the Kosovo Police, in addition to broader support through the EULEX mission.

Speaking to Euractiv, a senior EU official described police violence in Kosovo as “endemic.”

According to data from the Kosovo Police Inspectorate, the number of complaints has increased by more than 20% over three years, mostly from the Albanian majority in Pristina, where police presence is strongest.

“Public trust in the Kosovo Police is declining, particularly among the Serbian population. A 2021 survey showed that 77% of ethnic Albanians trust the police, compared to only 14% of Serbs. A turning point came in November 2022, when over 600 police officers of Serbian ethnicity resigned en masse. This followed the government’s refusal to implement the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (CSM), part of the 2015 EU-brokered agreement intended to provide limited autonomy to Serbs. Pristina argues that the CSM would give Serbia too much influence,” the article states.

The mass resignations created a major security vacuum in the Serb-majority north — and instead of replacing the officers with new Serbian recruits, which officials claim is blocked by current legislation, the government responded by deploying mostly ethnic Albanian officers to fill the gap.

That move further inflamed tensions, with a study from last year showing that only 1% of Serbs supported the increased police presence, while 35% said it made them feel less safe, and 57% were uncertain about their sense of security.

In contrast, 93% of ethnic Albanians supported the decision, and 85% said it made them feel safer.

“These Serbian officers were never replaced, which violated Kosovo’s constitutional obligation to ensure ethnic representation in public institutions. Despite EU pressure to find a workaround, officials claim that current law prevents the rehiring of those who resigned,” Euractiv adds.

To fill the gap, the government “accelerated recruitment” — police training was shortened from six months to just three, making it the shortest in the Balkans.

Most new recruits were ethnic Albanians with no knowledge of the Serbian language. Some even came from militarized units.

Civil society groups and international observers quickly raised alarms, especially as reports emerged of police officers wearing ethnic or nationalist symbols while on duty, which violates Kosovo’s Constitution.

In June 2023, the EU froze financial support and halted high-level contacts, citing the stalemate over the CSM and excessive use of force in the north.

Mentor Vrajoli, Director of the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies, stated that regardless of whether the Zajnulahu case results in convictions, the broader consequences of accelerated training are already evident, adding that the problems now stretch “far beyond the north of the country.”

Miodrag Milicevic, Director of the NGO “Aktiv,” said he was personally assaulted by Kosovo Police near a border crossing in 2022. He criticized the lack of diversity in the Kosovo Police Inspectorate (PIK), noting that it employs only three ethnic Serbs and two Bosniaks out of 82 staff members.

His case is still under reinvestigation.

Kosovo Police acknowledged shortcomings and stated in a written response to Euractiv that basic training would now be extended to six months in the classroom and one year in the field.

But problems persist, Euractiv notes.

“In 2023, the U.S. donated over 500 body cameras in an effort to curb abuse. However, PIK reports show that only 10% of border and traffic officers who received them actually used the cameras. Body cameras were introduced in specialized patrols after allegations surfaced of targeted harassment of ethnic Serb women in the north,” the article adds.

The police blamed privacy rules, claiming that the Supreme Court and the Data Protection Agency restricted camera use. Both institutions denied this, saying they were never consulted outside the context of border enforcement.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) did not respond to repeated requests regarding the impact of the EU-imposed measures against Kosovo on police support.

“Nevertheless, police actions in Kosovo continue to escalate tensions between the EU and Pristina, affecting both current and future support. These tensions have also raised questions about whether Kosovo’s bid for EU membership will ever be taken seriously. Although Kosovo formally applied for EU membership in 2022, recent developments have led some officials in Brussels to question Kosovo’s willingness to uphold the rule of law and protect minority rights — two core accession criteria,” Euractiv concludes.