State Department: Kosovo fails to meet minimum standards in key areas of fight against human trafficking

The Kosovo Government does not fully meet the minimum standards in key areas of the fight against human trafficking, although it made progress compared with the previous reporting period and therefore remains on “Tier 2,” according to the latest US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report.

The Kosovo Government increased funding for victim assistance and prevention activities. An assessment of the implementation of the 2024–2025 National Action Plan found that nearly half of its objectives had been achieved, but minimum standards were not met in several key areas, the report states.

The number of prosecutions of suspected traffickers declined, and although courts imposed more prison sentences, most were below the statutory minimum prescribed for human trafficking offenses.

The authorities did not investigate all cases of forced child begging as human trafficking. Due to inadequate procedures for identifying victims of forced begging, the Kosovo Government failed to effectively prevent the inappropriate punishment of potential victims for unlawful acts committed solely as a direct consequence of being trafficked.

The Kosovo Government did not provide reintegration measures or other forms of long-term assistance, particularly for children and victims requiring psychosocial support, the report points out.

“The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period; therefore Kosovo remained on Tier 2. These efforts included convicting more traffickers and sentencing more perpetrators to imprisonment. The government increased funding for victim assistance and trafficking prevention activities. It conducted an assessment of the implementation of the 2024–2025 national action plan, which found that nearly half of the planned objectives had been completed,” the document states.

In the section titled “Prosecution,” the report states that the Kosovo Government continued its law enforcement efforts to combat human trafficking.

“Article 165 of the Criminal Code criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking. The prescribed penalties for offenses involving adult victims were five to 12 years’ imprisonment and a fine, while offenses involving child victims carried penalties of five to 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine. These penalties were sufficiently stringent and, with respect to sex trafficking, commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape,” the document states.

According to the report, in 2025 police investigated four cases—two cases of sex trafficking, one case of labor trafficking and one case involving an unspecified form of trafficking—compared with five cases in 2024.

Police also continued investigating two cases initiated in previous years.

“Authorities initiated proceedings against 34 trafficking suspects, including 15 for sex trafficking, two for labor trafficking and 17 for unspecified forms of trafficking, compared with 49 suspects in 2024,” the report states.

It adds that courts convicted three individuals of sex trafficking, compared with one conviction for the same offense in 2024. One trafficker was sentenced to five years and six months in prison and fined 3,000 euros, another received a three-year prison sentence, while the third received a one-year suspended sentence.

Sentences below the statutory minimum and penalties consisting solely of fines undermine efforts to hold traffickers accountable and create potential safety risks for victims.

“Authorities initiated proceedings against 17 defendants for ‘using sexual services of a trafficking victim,’ but there were no convictions. By comparison, in 2024 proceedings were initiated against four defendants and 12 perpetrators were convicted. The government made efforts to investigate, prosecute and convict government officials suspected of complicity in trafficking crimes. It cooperated with foreign governments on law enforcement operations,” the report adds.

The document states that Kosovo authorities, in partnership with NGOs and international organizations, organized anti-trafficking training for law enforcement officials, including police officers, judges and prosecutors, while continuing to implement institutionalized training programs at the Academy of Justice.

The Kosovo Police Directorate for Investigation of Trafficking in Human Beings investigated all trafficking cases through its eight regional units, which employed 45 officers.

The Directorate had two units, one responsible for investigations and the other for victim assistance and protection. The State Prosecutor’s Office continued to appoint a special coordinator for trafficking cases and maintained a focal point for trafficking issues in all seven basic prosecution offices.

“Kosovo Police continued to investigate cases of forced child begging organized by parents as parental neglect or abuse rather than human trafficking. Police stated that under Kosovo law, children accompanied by their parents did not meet the definition of trafficking victims,” the report states.

The report found that most prosecutors and judges lacked training and experience, particularly regarding offenses involving emotional control or psychological coercion of victims. This resulted in lenient sentences or cases being classified as offenses carrying lower penalties than human trafficking.

In the section dealing with victim protection, the report assessed that the Kosovo Government continued its efforts to protect victims.

“Authorities identified 13 victims, compared with 14 victims in 2024. All identified victims were victims of sex trafficking. They included two women and 11 girls, none of whom were foreign nationals. The government had standard operating procedures and a national referral mechanism. However, monitoring identified a lack of guidance and proactive efforts to identify victims of forced begging, particularly children,” the document states.

Standard operating procedures required an investigator from the Directorate for Investigation of Trafficking in Human Beings and a victim advocate from the Victim Assistance and Advocacy Office to meet, conduct a comprehensive risk assessment, and coordinate victim care and referrals to appropriate services. A social worker was also required to participate in assessments involving child victims. NGOs reported that the victim referral process functioned well.

“The government, both directly and through partnerships with civil society organizations, provided accommodation, healthcare, counseling, legal services and repatriation assistance. In cooperation with civil society, it assisted 18 victims. The government operated a specialized temporary secure facility providing services to high-risk victims, such as those whose traffickers remained at large, victims testifying in court proceedings or those awaiting repatriation. It also licensed and funded two NGO-run shelters providing services to low- and medium-risk victims,” the report states.

According to the report, the temporary secure facility and the two government-funded NGO shelters provided assistance to 10 victims.

The Kosovo Government allocated between 120,000 and 150,000 euros to the temporary secure facility, compared with 150,000 euros in 2024. It allocated 110,000 euros to one NGO-run shelter and 52,000 euros to another. In 2024, those shelters received 95,000 euros and 72,000 euros, respectively.

The government allocated 39,000 euros to an international NGO operating a day center for children who use the street as a source of income.

“Kosovo Police, specifically the Directorate for Investigation of Trafficking in Human Beings, had dedicated rooms for interviewing child trafficking victims. Interviews were conducted in cooperation with the Victim Assistance and Advocacy Office and centers for social work. The government provided interpreters and equipment enabling victims to testify by video link or with voice and image distortion. The government did not award restitution to victims as part of criminal judgments. However, in two cases, the Victim Assistance and Advocacy Office submitted applications for compensation from the state fund, after which the victims each received 2,000 euros,” the report states.

Due to inadequate screening and victim identification, the government did not effectively prevent the inappropriate punishment of potential victims solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct consequence of being trafficked.

Civil society representatives assessed the quality of victim care as good, but said reintegration programs had achieved limited success because of insufficient funding and a lack of employment opportunities that would enable victims to achieve financial independence.

Centers for social work provided services to child victims and acted as their legal guardians. However, monitoring found that the centers lacked sufficient capacity and staff to fulfill all their responsibilities.

Observers also pointed to difficulties in providing targeted support to victims who had been revictimized, victims prescribed treatment by psychiatrists, and victims requiring long-term services, particularly children.

Regarding prevention, the report assessed that the Kosovo Government had increased its efforts to prevent human trafficking.

The national anti-trafficking authority, comprising representatives of eight government ministries, the judiciary, municipal offices, victim advocates, NGOs and international observers, coordinated interinstitutional activities.

“The National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator chaired this body and monitored implementation of the 2022–2026 national anti-trafficking strategy. The government assessed the 2024–2025 National Action Plan and found that 48 percent of the objectives had been completed, 38 percent remained in progress and 17 percent had not been implemented,” the report states, adding that a hotline for potential trafficking victims had been established.

In the section addressing the forms and prevalence of human trafficking, the report describes the nature and extent of trafficking based on recent government and civil society reports.

“Traffickers exploit victims in sex trafficking in Kosovo. Women and girls are recruited with false promises of marriage or employment as dancers and singers and are subsequently forced into commercial sex in private homes, apartments, nightclubs and massage parlors,” the document states.

The report says that sex trafficking victims are predominantly girls from Kosovo, but also include “girls from Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and other countries.”

It concludes that traffickers in Kosovo have exploited foreign victims from Albania, Colombia, Mexico, Thailand and Venezuela, while Kosovo citizens are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor throughout Europe.