President Vjosa Osmani met on Tuesday with Belgian Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden and Minister of Asylum, Migration and Social Integration Anneleen Van Bossuyt at the Presidential Office in Pristina. Media representatives were allowed to capture footage only at the beginning of the meeting.
According to the Belga News Agency, the two Belgian ministers began a three-day diplomatic mission to Kosovo and Albania on Monday, focusing on addressing prison overcrowding and combatting organized crime.
To ease the issue of overpopulated prisons, the Belgian government is reportedly considering leasing or constructing a prison abroad for non-resident offenders.
The mission also includes discussions about asset-sharing mechanisms, enabling part of the seized criminal proceeds from investigations led by Belgium in Kosovo or Albania to be transferred back to the Belgian treasury.
In Kosovo, the delegation is expected to negotiate a bilateral treaty on mutual legal assistance, aimed at strengthening long-term judicial cooperation between the two nations.
Minister Verlinden noted that Kosovo is increasingly appearing in Belgian criminal cases as a hub for money laundering, human trafficking, and arms smuggling.
“The Western Balkans is now a key region in our fight against organized crime,” Verlinden emphasized.
Kosovo has already signed a similar agreement with Denmark, allowing the use of the Gjilan Correctional Facility to accommodate 300 Danish inmates, in exchange for over €200 million in compensation.
