Interpol Membership Helps Fight Human Trafficking

The prime minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, attended the conference on EU Day's Anti-Trafficing Human Being, organised by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

He said that the dedication of Kosovo institutions is to be worked not only to be part of a war that EU countries wage against fighting human trafficking, but also to achieve their successes, Coha.net broadcasts.

Kosovo is challenged with the fight against human trafficking, because it is not yet a member of Interpol and Europol”, Prime Minister Haradinaj said, strongly believing that with membership in Interpol, Kosovo will be more capable and more able to develop partnership with all relevant institutions in the fight against trafficking with human beings, ensuring that in Kosovo, all European Union countries have a serious partner in fighting human trafficking.

It added that Kosovo has drafted the Law for Compensation of Crime Victims; that the commission for compensation to the crime victim, which operates in the Ministry of Justice and that Kosovo is implementing Strategy and Action Plan 2016-2019, which is the continuation of two previous strategies in the fight against human trafficking.

Haradinaj said that in the first half of this year, the State Prosecutor has inherited 38 cases with 66 people and has accepted 11 new cases of 15 persons. The prosecution during this period has worked a total of 49 cases of law with 31 persons, of which it has resolved 14 cases with 24 persons, while 35 cases of 52 have ended.

The president of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said that trafficking with human beings is one of the most flagrant human rights violations, the value upon which our state is built.

Anti-human trafficking undermines the foundations of the European Union and continues to be among the most fundamental problems facing the EU even today, but also our countries”, said President Thaci, adding that Kosovo has created a comprehensive legal and political framework for fighting human trafficking harmonised with EU laws.

Natalia Apostolova, chief of the European Union Office in Kosovo, said she has the satisfaction of participating today in this very important event, as she said, serves in raising awareness and exchange of information, knowledge and practices between various acts involved.

According to her, for the EU, the fight against human trafficking is top priority worldwide and that engagement in fighting this phenomenon as much as it is individual is social.

Minister of Internal Affairs Ekrem Mustafa said that the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo have always shown a willingness to find the most adequate methods for fighting human trafficking.

The priorities of all relevant institutions remain preventing this phenomenon, followed by various activities that will also be part of this Anti-Tradition campaign with Human Beings, with the aim of raising public opinion awareness and institutional awareness”, said Minister Mustafa.