Eight candidates for cadences expelled after proving positive on drug tests

Recent tests by cadees in the Kosovo Police found that at least 13 out of nearly 1,000 tested people resulted in positive drug use.

At least eight of them were excluded from the recruiting process.

Courts are already involved in examining their cases.

What were the cops tested for?

To be admitted to the Kosovo Police, cadete candidates must undergo some checks, including tests for certain types of drugs, medical, psychological and other drugs.

Drug tests by the end of last year have been conducted in private institutions, but after a consensus agreement between the Kosovo Police and the Kosovo Hospital Service and University Clinic have been passed on to state institutions.

Biochemia Clinic Director at Kosovo University Clinical Centre Shemsie Veseli confirms for Radio Free Europethat some candidates tested there have proved positive on amphetamine tests and some other types of narcotics.

“In the first group of 426 people, in January, eight have resulted positive, while as far as the group is concerned in March, 519 positive people have resulted in five”, says Wessel.

The “should be mentioned that in the first group, there were mostly positive in amphetamines, while in the second group there was a substance caramanium”, he adds.

What's amphetamine?

Amphetamine is stimulating drugs that accelerate messages that travel between the brain and the body.

It may be legal when described by the doctor for handling certain problems, such as lack of attention or sleep disorders, and inlegical when used without a prescription, to increase or improve performance.

The U.S. Mayo Clinic website says that this substance, when given with a doctor's description, is used as part of a general program involving social, educational, and psychological treatment of the patient.

In the Kosovo Police say that for the first eight candidates to have proved positive in narcotics substances, the decision has already been made to exclude them from the recruiting process.

The same decision is expected for the other five.

“Candidates that fail to meet the required standards in one of the areas in which medical/psychological checks are conducted, cannot further continue procedures to become Kosovo Police cadence”, says a statement given to Radio Free Europe.

Kosovo police did not respond to whether in the past, when tests were conducted in private institutions, there have been positive cases of drug use.

Tribunal in Court

At least two of the candidates for the screws, who were excluded from the recruiting process, have already filed indictments in court against the Kosovo Police.

In one case, the Constitutional Court in Prizren confirmed for The REL has taken a procedure act, asking the Biochemical Clinic at QKUK to do detailed expertise, confirming if the person in question is using narcotic substances.

In clarification, the court said it has been required to determine which time period refers to whether it reflects only the current situation or even a longer period of time.

The proposor [the plaintiff] is in charge that the upper institution [the Biochemic clan] is allowed to perform this expertise, or to appear in the upper institution following his call”, it is said in the statement that the Foundation Court in Prizren gave to the REL.

It also stresses that after accepting the expertise report, the court will continue with handling the case.

The Constitutional Court in Pristina, on the other hand, did not respond to the interest to comment on the indictment filed at the institution.

Similarly, neither did the Kosovo Police comment on the indictments against her.

“

Biochemic Clinic Director Shemsie Veseli says tests at KKUK reduce the risk of future police being substance users.

For tests conducted in Biochem, he says there is no doubt.

There should be no hesitation [for accepting results], because tests are safe and there is no bias. We run tests and we don't see names, we don't know candidates... The court has raised this case and we will respond to”, says Wessel, but without giving any more details.

Toxicology specialist Nardi Sugargiu says that tests used at QKUK for identification of narcotic or abusive substances are fast or violent and realized through urine.

“Amphetamine is detected in urine up to 48 hours after the last use. After 48 hours, the test of amphetamine in urine can result negative, because consumed substances are constantly eliminated with urine”, Sugargiu says.

This implies that if a candidate for police cadets, which has resulted in positive for amphetamine, could result in negative if it is renewed.

Sugargiu says there are some tests that can be carried out through the hair, which yield results for a longer period after the recent use of abuse substances, but they, according to him, are not conducted in Kosovo.

Formed nearly 25 years ago, Kosovo Police have a “mission provides professional, effective and efficient implementation of the law”.

It numbers over 9,000 members of different degrees.

Their salaries start from 210 euros a month for police cadets to over 1,500 euros a month for the general director.

Kosovo police officers have neither health insurance nor life insurance.