On the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the Acting President and Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, alongside Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Donika Gërvalla, hosted a high-profile meeting with prominent survivors and advocacy organizations at the presidential offices.
The delegation included iconic human rights activist and survivor Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman, fellow survivor Ramadan Nishori, and executive directors from Kosovo’s leading psychological and legal support groups: Medica Kosova, Medica Gjakova, the Kosovo Centre for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (KRCT), and the Centre for the Promotion of Women’s Rights in Drenas.
Honoring Decades of Grassroots Advocacy
Acting President Haxhiu expressed deep institutional gratitude to the civil society organizations that stepped into the vacuum following the 1998–1999 war, providing comprehensive rehabilitation when state structures were still nascent.
“For years, these organizations have stood tightly by the survivors of wartime sexual violence with delicate care, rigorous documentation, legal and psychological aid, and an unyielding commitment to their dignity and justice,” Haxhiu remarked following the session. “Today, I thanked them for this invaluable work and the irreplaceable role they continue to play.”
The Legislative Blueprint for Survivor Dignity
The core focus of the meeting shifted rapidly from formal recognition to concrete, structural reforms aimed at overhauling how the state interacts with individuals seeking official wartime survivor status.
Kosovo Transitional Justice Reform Matrix (June 2026)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROPOSED POLICY REVISIONS │
└────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┘
│
┌──────────────────────┼──────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
[ TIMELINE EXTENSIONS ] [ JUDICIAL EXEMPTIONS ] [ REFORMATTING AUDITS ]
Reviewing and moving Eliminating all court Upgrading the physical
the legal deadlines and legal processing and digital space of
for status applications fees for victims the Government
to prevent expiration. seeking restitution. Verification Commission.
Haxhiu and Gërvalla outlined specific institutional adjustments currently being prepared for legislative review to make the pathway toward formal state recognition and judicial justice significantly less bureaucratic and re-traumatizing:
- Application Deadline Review: Re-evaluating rigid legal windows to ensure survivors who are only now finding the strength to come forward are not barred by arbitrary expiration dates.
- Court Fee Waivers: Completely exempting survivors from court and administrative taxes when pursuing legal remedies or state benefits.
- Upgrading the Verification Commission: Moving the Government Verification Commission to a more accessible, private, and physically welcoming environment to ensure maximum confidentiality and psychological safety during the evaluation process.
“These systemic measures will directly contribute to building a justice framework that is more human, more fair, and intensely sensitive to the harsh realities faced by our survivors,” Haxhiu concluded, promising that the executive and legislative branches would fast-track the administrative changes.
