Skopje, 10 December 2025

The Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Vigan Qorrolli, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to North Macedonia, Mr. Florian Qehaja, and the Chief of Staff, Mr. Genc Nimoni, participated today in the Regional Forum “From Policy to Impact: Advancing Integrity and Institutional Reforms in the Western Balkans”, organized in Skopje, under the patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Good Governance of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. Arben Fetai. The event was opened with the participation of the Speaker of the Parliament of North Macedonia, Mr. Afrim Gashi, as well as senior justice and Western Balkan countries public administration officials, representatives of international organizations, including UNOPS, and other regional partners.

Deputy Minister Qorrolli presented in the first panel on the topic “Regional Perspectives: The Role of Coordinated Regional and International Support in Strengthening the Values ​​of Good Governance”, and presented the Kosovo’s experience in advancing institutional integrity, increasing transparency and strengthening the rule of law. He emphasized that the fight against corruption remains a common challenge for the countries of the region, and added no country has the capacity to cope with this complex phenomenon alone. Therefore, he said, permanent coordination between governments, international institutions, civil society organizations and investigative media is fundamental to guaranteeing good and democratic governance.

Deputy Minister Qorrolli presented a clear overview of the transformations that happened in Kosovo, from the adoption of the Anti-Corruption Legal Package to the strengthening of the criminal framework prohibiting officials accused of corruption from holding their positions. He singled out the Law on the State Bureau for Verification and Confiscation of Assets, describing it as an instrument that aims to restore the public trust by directly targeting illicit gains. In his view, this law is the clearest example of a public policy based on concrete results. He further highlighted the advanced regulation of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and a new rigorous system for declaring assets. He also underlined the significance of the amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, which have tightened punitive measures and created mechanisms that prevent the retention of officials accused of corruption, thus preserving the integrity of public institutions.

He also brought to attention the importance of the Law on the State Bureau for Verification and Confiscation of Assets, as a key instrument for the confiscation of unjustified assets and as a modern policy that helps restore citizen trust in the justice system. Deputy Minister Qorrolli went on to speak of the advancement made on the Vetting of judicial and prosecutorial system leadership, which aims to assure the public that justice is administered by professionals with integrity and free from any external influence.

He laid particular emphasis on the role of digitalization in strengthening good governance, referring to the E-Kosova platform as a concrete example of how technology has reduced the scope for corruption and increased transparency in public and judicial services. In the same vein, he recalled the importance of the Law on Whistleblowing, which has set new standards for the protection of whistleblowers and strengthened the role of citizens in the fight against corruption.

Deputy Minister Qorrolli also mentioned Kosovo’s notable improvements in international assessments, including a rise by 31-place in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, as well as advance by 34-place in the Global Crime Index, making Kosovo the country with the lowest crime rate in the region. He emphasized that these results reflect the commitment of Kosovo’s institutions to strengthening the rule of law and increasing public safety.

In conclusion, the Deputy Minister of Justice emphasized Kosovo’s commitment to continue the close cooperation with international partners and countries in the region, working towards strengthening joint mechanisms for investigation, cross-border legal assistance and the fight against corruption and organized crime. He reiterated that only through sustainable coordination and a common regional vision can a fairer, safer and more developed Western Balkans be built.