Qelaj on Arlinda Zekaj’s murder: The victim had not filed a complaint with us

Following the killing of Arlinda Zekaj in Vitomiricë, Peja, Ombudsperson Naim Qelaj called on institutions to review their work and responsibilities in efforts to prevent such incidents.

Speaking on the “Debat Plus” program on Dukagjin, Qelaj said institutions should not be content with expressing shock, but should assess whether they had done enough to ensure citizens’ safety and protect their lives.

“Beyond the usual rhetoric about how shocked we are, I think the first thing we should do when incidents like these occur is reflect on what we have done and what actions we have taken within our powers and responsibilities to prevent such cases,” Qelaj said.

He said the primary responsibility for citizens’ safety and lives rests with the police and the justice system. However, he stressed that responsibility also extends to other state institutions, including the Ombudsperson’s Office.

Qelaj said that, to the best of his knowledge, his institution had not previously received a complaint concerning Arlinda Zekaj’s case. He added that whenever sensitive cases arise, he makes an effort to review the information available to the institution.

“As far as I know, she never wrote to us. I cannot remember every complainant, but when sensitive cases arise, I immediately look into what information we have about the case. I am not saying that the case would have turned out differently if it had been brought to us, but I strongly believe that every part of the state must consider whether it has done enough to prevent such cases, which are unfortunately recurring,” he said.

During the program, the Ombudsperson also spoke about domestic violence in Kosovo. He noted that the reported figures do not reflect the full scale of the problem, since many cases are not made public.

“The statistics reveal only part of the picture. More than 2,500 cases of domestic violence have been reported, and there may be even more behind closed doors that go unreported. But the mechanisms have failed,” Qelaj said.