Policemen at Risk at Work Without Life and Health Insurance

Cops get attacked and hurt at work but the treatment has to do with their own money. In contrast, the court and prosecution are not acting strongly and with a greater dynamic against the attackers.

So said Kosovo Police Union Chairman Imri Zeqiri, under whom 21 police officers were killed during the duties, hundreds of injured police officers, about 300 ill policemen during the official duties and chronically ill policemen. And for that, it is vital to become a life - and - health security.

“I hope that at least this government will do something, make moves for this law to enter the agenda and compile a law on life and health insurance. It is extremely necessary and reasonable, especially for the Kosovo Police, their work is very specific and with very high risk both for life and for their health and is understood when we do not have health insurance on which to support them. A wounded cop on duty, attacked all the costs for his recovery he carries himself. 21 police officers killed during duty, then we have hundreds of injured police officers, then we have about 300 police officers who are sick during official duties, we have about 300 police officers who died during the official duty, they're dead, they're gone, we've got chronically ill officials, and that's why it's necessary and vital, and in this direction I appeal to the government to put the security and health insurance in place for the Kosovo Police”, Zeqiri said.

Zeqiri says of Kosovo Press, that police are facing major risks, and for that they have deserved to be rewarded by the state.

I think this salary reward of an equivalent wage has been a fairly modest requirement compared to other demands. We have held an official meeting and during the meeting we agree on most of the demands Kosovo police have, namely, our union, the police union. Among other things, there has been a demand for a yearly reward for all employees. We have submitted a written request to Minister Svecla, and we have precise information that the minister has submitted our request to the Ministry of Finance, but that neither has he nor we received an answer. And there was this resentment why we didn't at least get a response from the Government to reason, which is why it wasn't paid”, he said.

On the other hand, Zeqi adds that they are being falsely accused in connection with dealing with domestic violence cases.

And the case in Sculoted Luke is that there's been a murder, but I say it with a hundred percent security without police guilt. Police in such a case have intervennu, have responded to the case and carried out all procedures in police competencies based on law and police authorisations. It's been taken, it's been treated by the random victim, the suspect has been treated... Kosovo police a person banned for interviewing has a right to hold it for six hours, within six hours is the prosecutor's competence if he takes it to custody for 48 hours, without the prosecutor's decision there is no more option and let them know the opinion that the prosecutor is leading the investigation in all cases, police do the jobs based on the orders of the prosecutor, he said.

He even demands that there be tougher penalties for attackers against police officers.

All perpetrators of the criminal act are convicted by law, no more, no less, and I think it would be a preemptive for preventing attacks on police officials. Otherwise until those perpetrators of these works, the attackers, suspects who attack the Kosovo Police if they go with milder sentences or say there is tolerance, then they are already being empowered and attacks on the Kosovo Police will never be stopped. I'm not trying to accuse either the prosecution or the court in that respect that they're not acting at all, but I think they have to act more strongly, with greater dynamics and enforce the laws that are in place and all those who attack the police to get the” sentence, he said.

All these demands, Zeqiri says I will present them at a meeting with Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Meanwhile, reports that since the beginning of the pandemic in Kosovo, 2210 police officials have been infected and currently 40 police officers with COVID-19.