Lack of Security Agencies

Establishing capacities for response in the emergency situation is one of the main goals of Kosovo institutions, at least according to statements due to representatives of these institutions.

But, so far, the efficiency of mechanisms for emergency situations has never been tested, experts say on security issues.

Burim Ramadani from the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies says such testing is necessary, in order to know the roles and responsibilities of each security agency.

“Unfortunately, there has never been a complete test of all security institutions, emergency, health... of how they would react fully in any case, whether terrorism or natural disaster, or even in the event of an attack from outside Kosovo”, Ramadani says.

Institutions of the Republic of Kosovo have adopted the Law on Natural Disasters and have drafted basic documents such as the Integrated Emergency Management System and the National Response Plan.

Hajriz Sejdiu of the Centre for Emergency Management at the Ministry of Internal Affairs tells Radio Free Europe that a test of emergency capacities has been realised in 2012.

“We had a fire in 2012, which occurred in the municipality of Dragas, when there were 28,000 hectares of forest in the fire. And, that's where we tested the National Response Plan, to the establishment of the United Camp Centre. Emergency Management Agency, [ The AME has managed all government assets that came from the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to help local level, or Dragas municipality, manage this fire, which included a large space of”, says Sejdiu.

But, for Ramadanin, in some cases of natural disasters, a non-coordination of security agencies' activities has been observed in Kosovo.

The “in the letter exists [coordination], but in practice it is not fully tested, as to who is the leader of which element in case of the national emergency response. In some form it would be that if Kosovo had a serious case of national emergency, then each institution would act in its own way in principle, but that would not be a proper co-ordination to save the lives of the citizens”, Ramadani considers.

However, Hajriz Sejdiu says that under the law and basic documents approved by the Government of Kosovo, duties and responsibilities are divided and implemented from the local level to the central level.

The local level is responsible for managing the situation. As the local level takes its resources, those co-operation agreements with other municipalities and there are no more resources, it calls the Agency for Emergency Management [AME]. And The AME is obliged to provide help from the central level, according to priorities. If the local level needs the Kosovo Security Force, [ KSF] we send it, if it needs more specialized medical services, we also send it”, says Sejdiu to Radio Free Europe.

With the National Response Plan, the Co-ordinator of management of national-type incidents, until the announcement of a state of emergency by the president, is the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The Kosovo Security Council, which is the highest security body in the country and has an advisory role in all issues related to Kosovo's security, also functions in Kosovo. He recommends policies and security strategies.