11 minutes agoChief Prosecutor's Office: The government released the recruit of victims' defenders
Periskopi(3 years ago)
(3 years ago)The Kosovo government has not allowed the recruiting of 8 victims' defenders for this year. That's what they're saying from the State Prosecutor's Office. The government has not responded to this, but from the Office to Protect the Aids of Victims that function within the framework of the State Chief Prosecutor's Office, they have said the number that is [...]
The Kosovo government has not allowed the recruiting of 8 victims' defenders for this year. That's what they're saying from the State Prosecutor's Office. The government has not responded to this, but by the Office to Protect the Aids of Victims that function within the framework of the State Chief Office, they have said the number now is insufficient, due to increased cases, especially domestic violence.
The first person to be contacted by police, in cases of murder, domestic violence and sexual abuse, is the defender of the victims.
Throughout Kosovo, there are only 16 people working within the framework of the Chief State Prosecutor's Office, but that number is being viewed as insufficient to face cases they agree to.
And since the beginning of our work in 2002, we've been challenging with various problems, especially with staff offices for the most recent time, we have cases that are growing, we have many cases, like the Pristina region, about 960 cases we leave behind, and we have only 5 victims' defenders, imagine how many cases each defense has come down to work and give me what to contribute to the <x1, Burhanhuni has declared.
Maxhun, who is the task leader of the Office for Protection and Relief Manager, says institutions should deal more seriously with this office because of its importance.
Not only do we have a little difficulty for the office, we have trouble with cars, so it takes a little more attention, from all the other institutions for this office because it's the model office, for the state around”, he said.
Adding their numbers, lawyer Yll Zakaj considers it necessary, who says it affects their work as well.
And this tells us that it is an insufficient number, for the role and importance of the offices for protecting the victims, given that their role, is 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, in any case when we have any victims of crime, whether we have domestic violence cases of human trafficking, and other criminal acts, which we have victims, and in that case the first door to be addressed on the basis of criminal legislation, is the defenders of victims”, Zeqaj said.
Victims' defenders have often been the address of many criticisms, in cases of murders against women and domestic violence, which according to Zekij, lack of resources should not be rational.
Days ago, in an interview for RTV Dukagjin, Nazlie Balaj, adviser to the justice minister, has said they are co-operating with the chief state prosecutor's office to increase the number of victims' advocates.
But they say otherwise from this institution.
From getting the decision of the date 23.11.2022 with the number 1458/2022 of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council for suspending reports with the Government of Kosovo, the State Prosecutor has not responded to the Justice Ministry's invitations. Meanwhile, in terms of the number of victims' advocates, we stress that their numbers are insufficient. 16 victims' advocates and 7 regional overseers are currently in the entire territory of the country. Despite demands for allowing budgetary means for recruiting even eight victims' defenders, no means have been shared by the Government of Kosovo to accept new victims' protection during 2023”, the prosecutor's office has reportedly responded.
In this regard, during the day they have not returned answers from the Government of Kosovo, nor from the Ministry of Justice.
