As part of the global campaign “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” and International Human Rights Day, the Ministry of Justice today organized a roundtable titled “Compensation of Victims of Crime in Kosovo: Functioning and Challenges.” Representatives of the Council of Europe Office, institutional representatives, civil society organizations, and experts in the fields of justice and victim protection participated in the activity.

In his speech, the Acting Minister of Justice, Blerim Sallahu, said that the protection of victims of crime is one of the government’s main priorities, underlining that since the beginning of the mandate, the Commission for Compensation of Victims of Crime has handled over 650 requests for compensation and approved more than 1 million euros for the victims, thus – the highest amount ever paid by the state in this field.

Minister Sallahu further stated that these results represent an important step toward guaranteeing a more humane and accessible justice system, emphasizing that “victims will not be left alone” and that the state institutions must provide immediate and effective support to all citizens who have experienced violence or crime.

He also emphasized that the work to strengthen these mechanisms remains ongoing and that the Ministry of Justice will continue to strengthen the professional and institutional capacities so that every victim has fair, equal, and dignified access to compensation services and the protection guaranteed by law.

During the roundtable, there were presented the work, functioning, and challenges of the Crime Victims Compensation Commission.