Members of the Commission for Human Rights, Gender Equality, Missing Persons and petitions discussed the Anti-Discrimination Law. Given the lack of harmonization of this law with other normative acts, the issue of adopting a new or amending the existing law was raised, reports Kontakt plus radio.

Ombudsman Hilmi Jashari believes that the Law on Protection against Discrimination, adopted in 2015, is not in accordance with other laws, especially with the Gender Equality Act and the Law on the Protector of Citizens.

Kosovo Ombudsman Hilmi Jashari said human rights have been violated in the process of detention and deportation of six Turkish citizens, regional broadcaster N1 reports.

Jashari points out that their right was violated when they were deported without a court procedure and which requires the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo.

Kosovo’s Ombudsperson, Hilmi Jashari, said today before the members of the Assembly committee on human rights that he has asked the Energy Regulatory Office and the Kosovo Electricity Distribution and Supply Company (KEDS) to reimburse clients that have so far been charged extra to cover for unpaid electricity bills in the north and that this constituted a human right violation. Jashari said he expects a favourable outcome of the lawsuit filed before the Supreme Court.

The Ombudsman of Kosovo, Hilmi Jashari, in a press statement on Monday stressed that the increase in acts of violence in schools should be of concern to state institutions responsible for enduring respect for the rights of children, whith special emphasis on physical integrity and their human dignity.  Jashari said the violence remains unacceptable, intolerable and contrary to the legislation in force. Kosovo’s Constitution stipulates that every child has the right to be protected from violence, abuse and exploitation.

The Ombudsperson of Kosovo should be from non-majority communities, said MP Nenad Rašić at a meeting of the Assembly.

"While I appreciate the work of the Ombudsman Jashari, I believe that Ombudsperson should be from non-majority communities since it concerns the position and rights of non-majority communities, the weakest links in any society," said Rašić.

The government of Kosovo has allocated additional 420 thousand euros for the institution of the Ombudsperson in Kosovo. During the government meeting today, European Integration Minister Bekim Collaku said the allocation of these funds was one of the remaining eight criteria for the visa liberalization. According to him, the government has almost met all the criteria for visa liberalization.

Kosovo’s Chief Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi met Ombudsperson Hilmi Jashari today and discussed the challenges they face in the performance of their duties. They also spoke about the respect of human rights, guaranteed by the Constitution of Kosovo. The two officials agreed to intensify cooperation in protection of human rights and freedoms.

Kosovo’s Constitutional Court continues to refuse to free its current office space for the Ombudsperson Institution as per the decision of the Ministry of Local Government and Administration of 2012. The allocation of adequate premises for the Ombudsperson is one of the European Commission's conditions laid out in Kosovo's visa liberalization road map.

Kosovo Ombudsperson Hilmi Jashari signed the decision establishing the National Mechanism for Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment as a special structure that will operate within the Ombudsperson Institution. The establishment of this mechanism is in line with the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) and will carry out regular inspection in places where people deprived of freedom are kept.

The Constitutional Court has not yet freed its premises to the institution of the Ombudsperson as per the decision of the Ministry of Local Government Administration issued back in 2012. The reasons for the two-year delay have not been revealed by the Constitutional Court’s officials who were unavailable for comment but the paper notes that the accommodation of the Ombudsperson institution is one of the criteria included in the visa liberalization roadmap.