A nationwide protest against the killing of women in Kosovo is set to continue in Prishtina on Thursday, with organizers demanding that femicide be treated as a national emergency and calling for the dismissal of Justice Minister Donika Gërvalla and Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla.
The Feminist Thought and Action Collective has called for protesters to gather at Zahir Pajaziti Square at 4 p.m., following a demonstration held in the capital on Wednesday. Organizers have urged people across Kosovo to mobilize in solidarity and said protests would continue until their demands are addressed.
The demonstrations follow the killing of 49-year-old Arlinda Zekaj in Vitomiricë, near Peja, on October 25. The case has triggered widespread public reaction after reports that Zekaj had previously reported domestic violence and sought assistance from institutions.
Protesters demand institutional accountability
On Wednesday, hundreds of citizens and activists marched from Zahir Pajaziti Square to several institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, the Kosovo Judicial Council, the Kosovo Police and the government.
During the protest, participants demanded the dismissal of Gërvalla and Sveçla, citing what organizers described as political responsibility for the handling of the case.
They also called for investigations and potential criminal prosecution of officials who may have neglected their duties, including representatives of the prosecution service, courts and the Center for Social Work, if wrongdoing is established.
The organizers argue that the case raises broader questions about how institutions respond to reports of domestic violence and whether existing protection mechanisms are effective in preventing lethal violence against women.
The continued demonstrations aim to maintain public pressure on authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding Zekaj’s death, establish any institutional failures and ensure accountability where responsibility is proven.
