OSCE Mission presents its fifth comprehensive assessment of community rights protection in Kosovo

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 27 July 2021 – Kosovo institutions need to ensure continued progress and increase their focus on advancing the rights of non-majority communities, a cornerstone in building a truly inclusive, peaceful and stable society, concludes an OSCE Mission in Kosovo report presented today.  

The fifth edition of the Community Rights Assessment Report assesses the progress made by Kosovo institutions in respect to the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), in the areas of inter-community dialogue, security and justice, language, education, returns, socio-economic rights, culture and media.

The report notes that institutions have achieved progress in promoting and protecting the rights of non-majority communities and their members in line with the FCNM obligations. However, despite the progress in some areas, the recommendations from the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Resolution on Kosovo from July 2019 still remain valid for other areas.

The report also notes positive developments during the four years assessed, including the integration of the judiciary, the adoption of a legally binding Regulation on the Return of Displaced Persons, and the adoption of several key policy documents in the area of cultural heritage. Furthermore, positive steps are noted in the effectiveness of the Ombudsperson’s Institution and the Government’s efforts to create a comprehensive institutional framework to facilitate the full inclusion of the Kosovo Roma and Kosovo Ashkali communities in society.

“The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has been directly involved in supporting the institutions that have achieved these concrete results. We will continue to partner with relevant institutions in following up on the recommendations outlined in this report to address the issues identified,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Michael Davenport.

“Advancing the rights of non-majority communities is a cornerstone in building a truly inclusive, peaceful and stable society,” he added.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with the protection and promotion of human rights and communities rights, as well as democratization and public safety sector development.

The full report is available at: https://www.osce.org/mission-in-kosovo/493675