19 workers have lost their lives through August – Azemi warns that 2026 could be worse than 2025

A 49-year-old man lost his life on Monday, August 24, after falling from a height at a building where he was working.

The tragic incident is not the only death in the workplace recorded this year. In the first six months alone, 19 cases of workers losing their lives have been recorded, with the vast majority linked to the construction sector.

Jusuf Azemi, chairman of the Independent Trade Union of the Private Sector, says that, based on developments so far, the current year could prove worse than 2025. According to him, exactly 19 cases have been recorded so far.

“Compared with the same period last year, in all likelihood, unfortunately, this year will be worse than last year. It is even more serious because, while in other countries in the West, and often even in Kosovo among workers in the public sector, these workers receive financial support from the place where they work, we still do not have that here and, in all likelihood, we will not have it. The exact figure is 19 this year so far,” Azemi declared.

Occupational safety expert Naim Bajraktari says employers bear the primary responsibility for these incidents.

“The question is what measures must be taken to stop these incidents from happening and who should take them. The employer must take all the necessary measures: train workers, provide them with equipment, create safe workplaces and assess the risks at the workplace,” Bajraktari said.

According to him, preventing such tragedies requires concrete measures, including training and appointing a competent person responsible for safety.

“These accidents can be prevented by taking measures, providing training and appointing a professional or, ultimately, an experienced person familiar with the daily tasks being carried out. That person must implement the measures and ensure the workers’ safety,” he said.

Meanwhile, during July, the Central Labour Inspectorate closed 16 worksites in several municipalities across Kosovo following violations identified in the area of occupational safety.

In 2025, 32 workers lost their lives in the workplace.