Organised crime, corruption, insurmountable obstacles to Kosovo

Members of the Commission for Internal Affairs, Security and Supervision of the Kosovo Security Force in the Kosovo Assembly say organised crime continues to be a concern for the country.

Fatmir Xhelili, a member of this commission from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, tells Radio Free Europe that to reduce the phenomenon of organised crime in Kosovo, institutions must invest in implementing laws and strengthening the justice system.

The political will and persistence of state instruments are needed to fight organised crime and corruption. The trial is stuck behind in the direction of enforcement and punishment of those who have broken the law in this respect. I believe the prosecution should be more persistent in this field of”, Xhelili says.

He considers that granting due sentences to those dealing with organised crime would be the best message for this phenomenon not to be widespread.

MP Xhelilili also thinks politics is mixed with individuals who deal with these phenomena.

As he says, great interest and great benefits from organised crime have managed to penetrate political lines.

The allegations exist that these interest groups or organised criminal groups, they have in some way, whether indirect or direct, policy support, otherwise they had not been able to operate”, Jeleli points out.

On the other hand, the Kosovo Special Prosecutor says they have several cases under way, which concern organised crime.

In a response to Radio Free Europe, the Prosecutor's Office says that during the first few months of this year, three cases have been accepted, including twenty-one persons.

In 2016 four cases of 80 have been accepted. In 2017 12 cases of 76 have been accepted. And so far [2018] there are 3 cases with 21 persons”, the prosecution's response states.

Organised crime is a type of illegal activity that accomplishes a group organisation similar to the associations or ordinary legal societies, which as a fundamental goal has the greatest benefit of material gain.

Security Affairs Knower Naim Maloku stresses that the economic situation and the failure of the rule of law affects organised criminal groups to function freely in Kosovo.

Kosovo is still in the phase of building security capacities, and all of this affects organised crime. The impression on the opinion is that there is no punishment for crime and corruption of incriminating and corrupt. Kosovo is a small country, each recognises each and normally not only by the policy that has influence in the judiciary, but also by the citizens themselves, Maloku says.

Experts Maloku tells Radio Free Europe, that the justice system in Kosovo is cutting and still, according to him, takes time for it to improve and Kosovo really becomes a legal state.

The rapid extraction of cases and punishment of criminal acts are the most necessary precautions so that no other acts will take place. In a country where the criminal case is soon cleared up or in a country where crime is punished, it no longer occurs. Kosovo has a large percentage of untapped criminal cases “, Maloku notes.

International representatives in Kosovo have invited prosecutors and judges sometimes to continue their uncompetitive work in fighting corruption and organised crime.

The fight against organised crime and corruption is one of the conditions set by the European Union for Kosovo aimed at visa liberalisation and integration into this mechanism.