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Introduction

After nearly nine years of UN administration, Kosovo appears set to become an independent state.  The question is no longer if Kosovo will become a country, but what kind of country it will become.

Today, Kosovo is a place where human rights are still frequently violated, where political violence, impunity for common and political crimes, intimidation and discrimination are commonplace. If that is to change, Kosovo’s new government, with the help of a new EU-led international mission, must make human rights a top priority.

This document sets out seven of the most pressing human rights issues in Kosovo today, and proposes concrete recommendations to address them. It includes some practical recommendations from human rights groups across Kosovo’s communities.¹

Human Rights Watch calls on the new government of Kosovo and the EU-led international mission to commit themselves to tackle the seven priority issues identified below.  Without urgent action, Kosovo’s human rights crisis will only worsen.

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