The Kosovo Police have initiated a dedicated operational plan to tackle the growing issue of sexual harassment against women in the northern, Serb-majority municipalities, Deputy Director of the Kosovo Police for the northern region, Veton Elshani.
This new initiative involves the formation of a specialized working group comprised of regular police, border police officers, and a representative from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The efforts of this group will be closely monitored by the Kosovo Police Inspectorate and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).
The move comes in response to increasing reports of sexual harassment in the north, where women have expressed fear, anger, and a lack of faith in local institutions to adequately address these issues. Acting Minister of Justice of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, recently visited North Mitrovica to discuss the problem with Police and Prosecution representatives, emphasizing that “Every report of sexual harassment and violence, regardless of the ethnicity or location of the victim, will be treated with professionalism.”
A key component of the operational plan involves deploying uniformed police officers equipped with body cameras to monitor key areas in North Mitrovica. Two officers will be stationed on each of the five main roads, with at least one officer per pair speaking Serbian. Static police presence will be established in the multi-ethnic Bosniak Quarter, and plainclothes investigators will be active during nighttime hours. Police will also be stopping suspicious individuals and vehicles with tinted windows. The plan is slated to last for an initial three-month period, with potential for extension based on its effectiveness.
While acknowledging that sexual harassment is a problem throughout Kosovo, activist Ružica Simić from North Mitrovica described the plan as a “positive start.” However, she stressed the need for specialized training for the Kosovo Police in handling such cases and highlighted the importance of rebuilding trust within the Serb community, including the return of Serb officers to the police and judiciary.
EULEX has acknowledged the reports of sexual harassment and affirmed its commitment to supporting Kosovo institutions in eradicating all forms of gender-based violence. While statistics indicate a decrease in reported rapes and sexual assaults nationwide in early 2025 compared to previous years, the specific figures for the northern municipalities remain unclear.
