Office of the Ombudsman: The current Law on Protection against Discrimination has certain shortcomings

The anti-discrimination law currently in effect has certain shortcomings, particularly regarding the mechanisms for imposing penalties for violations, the Office of the Ombudsman stated. As they added, during its amendment process, a more concrete delineation of responsibilities for imposing penalties is expected.

Regarding the Law on Protection against Discrimination announced by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who claimed it adheres to European standards, the Office of the Ombudsman highlighted that there is a high level of perceived discrimination in Kosovo. However, they noted that the Kosovo authorities do not collect data on the matter.

“According to the findings of the Ombudsman, although there is a high degree of perceived discrimination in the Republic of Kosovo, this perception is not entirely substantiated. Namely, the authorities do not collect data on discrimination cases, which means that the perception may not reflect the actual situation. This finding will be included in the Ombudsman's report on the implementation of the Law on Protection against Discrimination,” the Institution of the Ombudsman for Kosovo stated to Kosovo Online.

Kosovo has an Anti-Discrimination Law that, according to the institution, has certain shortcomings that need to be addressed through its amendment.

“Kosovo already has a Law on Protection against Discrimination in force, which, however, has certain shortcomings, particularly in defining the mechanisms for imposing penalties for violations. The law is currently in the amendment phase, and there is an effort to clarify and more precisely assign responsibility for imposing these penalties,” the Office of the Ombudsman emphasized.

The institution also stated that Kosovo's society can use laws to regulate inclusion, ensuring that every individual is embraced without distinction. They emphasized that Kosovo is a multi-ethnic society organized in a democratic manner.

“Yes, certainly. The Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo stipulates that Kosovo is a multi-ethnic society composed of Albanians and other communities and organized democratically. Moreover, the Constitution contains provisions on laws of vital interest, which require the majority vote of the total number of Assembly members present and the majority vote of Assembly members occupying reserved or guaranteed seats for representatives of non-majority communities for their adoption, amendment, supplementation, or repeal,” the Institution of the Ombudsman stated.