More than 400 murders for a decade in Kosovo

The motives of these murders, according to Kosovo Police officials, are said to be different. Police spokesman Bajram Krasniqi tells Radio Free Europe that in recent years the number of murders has marked a decline.

Since in 2008 there were 45 cases of murder, in 2010 the death toll was the highest 59. In 2012, 50 murders have been recorded, and since this year the number of cases has been in decline, where in 2017 we have had 27 kills”.

“Motives are different, but the ultimate motive for a murder is revealed when the case ends in the organs of justice. We may suspect that a murder was committed for low motives, as retaliation or various, but during the investigation it could change this”, Krasniqi says.

Weapons in illegal possession by citizens, circulating in Kosovo, according to security experts reportedly are the main causers for the destructive part of murders and a host of crimes that have occurred.

In the past, such a phenomenon was raised as concern by MPs in the Kosovo Assembly. Guns without permission were posed as a permanent threat to the safety of citizens.

Security Affairs expert Avni Islami tells Radio Free Europe that possession of illegal weapons is a threat to the safety of citizens.

As a consequence of these murders is the large number of illegal weapons. In Kosovo after the end of the war, it is considered that there are about 350 thousand weapons in the hands of citizens, ranging from firearms to hunting weapons. It is a disturbing problem, and Kosovo institutions have so far found no solution, so that at least combat weapons can be removed from the hands of citizens, and handed over to competent institutions. So, as a result of these weapons, we have a number of such murders”, Islam says of Radio Free Europe.

The estimates speak of a large number of illegal weapons in Kosovo, which are largely left over from the 1998-1999 war period. That figure was even said to be over 300 thousand small weapons.

Kosovo institutions, Islami adds, must find ways for at least combat weapons to be removed from the hands of citizens and organised to surrender to authorities.

There should be a way for citizens to surrender weapons they hold illegally. Make it a form for those who hand in their weapons and receive both cash and any other way citizens can turn them in. Then the other weapons are recorded and all those who possess weapons are trained and make sure that a weapon is kept. That way I believe that the number of murders in Kosovo will be reduced”, Islam says.

Since the post-war security mechanisms, says Kosovo Police spokesman Bajram Krasniqi, have confiscated and destroyed various weapons.

Kosovo Police have, over the years, confiscated huge numbers of firearms that are illegally located in the hands of citizens. He also destroyed those weapons over the years. In 2017 he confiscated over 1211 weapons and 30,000 pieces of various ammunition. In addition to the seizures, police have campaigned not to use weapons at festive parties, nor in various conflicts between citizens”, Krasniqi says.

From research done, it is considered that the consequences of post-war, then fear, distrust in institutions, as well as tradition, are some of the reasons why Kosovo citizens hold weapons illegally. Lowering the number of possession of arms without permission from citizens is considered a challenge for Kosovo. / REL