The Assembly of Kosovo has approved with 67 votes in favor a resolution condemning the killing of women and domestic violence, demanding concrete measures to prevent these cases and institutional accountability. The murder of 49-year-old Arlinda Zekaj in Vitomirica, Peja, which happened on October 25, is also in focus. The resolution, proposed by the Parliamentary Group of the Vetëvendosje Movement and supplemented by proposals from the deputies of the Democratic League of Kosovo, was presented by the chairman of the LVV parliamentary group, Arbërie Nagavci.
The document aims to address the responsibilities of institutions for the prevention of gender-based violence, the protection of victims and the implementation of relevant legislation. The approval comes after several serious cases of murder of women in Kosovo during 2026. During the session, the speaker of the Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu, criticized the deputies who did not stay in the hall to vote on the resolution.
“To come here and throw accusations at me and not stay in the hall to vote, this makes no sense to me. Anyway, let each MP have his own responsibility”, declared Haxhiu.
One of the main points of the resolution is the establishment of a parliamentary investigative commission to examine the institutional responsibilities that preceded the murder of Arlinda Zekaj. According to the text of the resolution, the reports that the 49-year-old had previously sought protection from the institutions require the examination of how the complaints were handled, how the risk was assessed and whether the necessary measures for her protection were implemented.
The commission is expected to analyze the actions and inactions of the responsible institutions, including the police, social services and other mechanisms involved in the prevention of violence. The resolution also requires that violations or eventual negligence evidenced are followed by legal and disciplinary responsibility. Among the proposed measures is the establishment of state centers for housing and protection of women victims of violence, as well as a special center for children who need protection from violence, abuse or neglect.
These centers are expected to provide safe housing, psychological support, health services and legal aid, as well as support for the reintegration of victims. The Assembly also recommends to the Government the strengthening of social work centers and the increase of the capacities of the Agency for Free Legal Aid, so that women and children affected by violence have faster access to relevant services. The resolution also includes a number of proposals for changing and supplementing the legislation.
Among them are the definition of femicide as a separate criminal offense, the expansion of the definition of economic violence and the clarification of the forms of violence in the digital space. Likewise, the creation of a specialized unit within the Kosovo Police for the investigation of digital violence against women and girls is required, as well as the establishment of reference centers for victims of sexual violence. The document also foresees the drafting of a national educational program for the prevention of violence at all levels of pre-university education, as well as counseling and psychosocial support programs for persons with a history of violent behavior.
