15 human trafficking cases in 2018

Fifteen cases of human trafficking were only in 2018. We've had multiple cases of prostitution.

The Human Rights Organisation considers that Kosovo is recently generating victims of human trafficking, thus stimulating traffickers for the move, with non severe penalties.

For years now, the country's concern continues to be human trafficking. For this crime, it was children in large numbers.

In an interview for KosovoPress, the chief of the central sector of human trafficking investigation, Riza Murati, has indicated the number of trafficked persons during 2018.

By the way, compared to last year where 32 victims of trafficking have been identified, this year we have 15 so far, we're hoping that this number will not increase, but that they are victims, as well as identified in 2018... . We have an increase in other cases involving prostitution, prostitution establishments, prostitution. In total, we have 244 persons arrested for various works I posted, for various criminal acts, while only human trafficking is persons suspected 29 persons”, he said.

The mutate for KosovoPress shows that during 2018, 84 locals have been shut down, where illegal activities are suspected. Countries where this event was most exercised have been Pristina, Ferizaj, Mitrovica, Peja and Prizren.

Commission for Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms Chairman Behxhet Shala says this phenomenon is the worst crime and form of human rights violations. He has added that unfortunately, Kosovo is now generating victims of trafficking.

Kosovo has been the site of the destination of these trafficked beings, so the frame of trafficking has been from other countries. Unfortunately, Kosovo is now generating, victims of trafficking by its residents of Kosovo, as I said before, the economic situation is also determining for itself the victims trafficked from the ranks of Kosovo citizens of both genders. It's actually not taken very seriously after the end of the war this phenomenon because in countries where there has been a crisis, where there has been war, it is somehow calculated as a normal situation for starters, but over time, with the increase in cases, further concern”, Shala said.

Shala says that even the sentences have not been high, though this is a business, with human beings. He has demanded that penal policies be more severe.

The most frequent of all is prostitution, which, according to Riza Muratat, takes place mostly in massage parlors.

Kosovo Tax Administration media official has told Kosovo how many of them have been closed this year.

This year's tax inspectors have identified 55 massage centers, with 12 of them inactive, while two have closed. Aside from these centres, they have to follow the requirements that come out of tax legislation, besides registration, fiscal number equipment and others, they're obliged simultaneously to be equipped with fiscal crates, which means from this number 55, minus 12 of them that are inactive, 28 of them we've managed to fiscalize”, she said.

During this month, Kosovo Police, in a case for a massage salon, have managed to arrest an ATK official, who was suspected to have consistently misused official authority in order to benefit. He also helped other suspects commit criminal acts allegedly carried out the task of influence.

Bytyqi Sefa has told Kosovo Press that ATK has now taken all legal measures against the person in question. Meanwhile, the State Prosecutor and Kosovo Police are currently being taken away.

Labour and Social Management Minister Skender Recica said that the bill to be issued during the coming year would also be determined to provide services for these trafficking victims.

“Concept the document we've approved is about providing social and family services that treats citizens, victims, both domestic violence and trafficking with human beings and other violence that can be exposed. With the bill we're about to release in the next year, there will be a clear address to the responsibilities. There's actually been some uncertainty about addressing many issues, offering services. In this case, provision of services for this category and we have tried within our reach, all of these categories that have been affected by violence, whatever the violence is to treat”, he said.

The ombudsman, Hilmi Jashari, has told Kosovo Press that this event is exercised as a cause of economic and social issues. He has added that because of a lack of employment or a good life, young people occasionally are forced to engage in such phenomena.

Our “concern remains as the Ombudsman's institution, and the main focus remains the problem of children being trafficked, because there is no legal solution because these children are usually exploited or citizens of the Republic of Albania who are then brought to Kosovo, at the same time there is no co-ordination among institutionals on how to deal with ta”, Jashar concluded.

And in large numbers, human trafficking can begin with fraud for a better life, ending in a lack of freedom and violation of basic rights of children and men. /