OSCE Mission supports Kosovo in the fight against environmental crime

Today the OSCE Mission in Kosovo concluded a week of training exercises on combating environmental crime for police officers, prosecutors, judges, municipal officials, and representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development.

“Environmental crimes, such as illegal logging or hazardous waste dumping, impact our daily lives, the planet and the future of our children. To combat such crimes effectively, it is necessary to understand their nature, build capacity and study techniques to prevent the great risk they pose to our health, the environment and economic prosperity,” said Kilian Wahl, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

The training course increased the knowledge of participants on identifying, preventing and combating environmental crimes. The course also  enhanced participants’ ability to co-operate and understand how to take joint and co-ordinated actions against such crimes.

The Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu addressed participants at the concluding session. This was done alongside Jan-Axel Voss, Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in Prishtinë/Priština, and Riza Shillova, Directorate for Strategic Planning of Kosovo Police. 

“It is important to work together because we need an integrated approach to strengthen the system to protect the environment. Two emergent approaches are needed to protect the environment: first is fighting environmental crime and second is educating young generations to protect the environment,” Minister Aliu said. 

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with protecting and promoting human rights, democratization and public safety sector development. The Mission will continue to support activities tackling environmental crime in 2022.