Inadequacies and unsatisfied implementation of the Law on Protection of Informers in the Municipality of Peja

Peja, September 13 – Today, FOL Movement, within a series of debates in municipalities regarding the “Law on Protection of Informers’ held the final meeting in Peja on the topic ” Anti-Corruption Legal Package: Law on Protection of Informers “. In this debate was discussed about the level of implementation of anti-corruption laws, respectively, the Law on Protection of Informers and on how many public officials denounce irregularities or illegal acts of corruption cases within their respective institutions.

At the beginning of the debate, Elbasan Racaj from FOL Movement, presented the findings and legal gaps of the law in question, both, in terms of provisions and sanctions as well as the perspective of experiences of public officials about the existence and content of the law. Among other things, he said that “about 73.6% of the officials are aware of the existence of the Law on Protection of Informers, while 23.4% are not aware of the existence of the law in question.” Furthermore, Elbasan Racaj added that public officials are even little informed when it comes to the content of the law “where only 15.3% of these officials seemed to have deeper knowledge, about 60% about average, 21% have too little, while 4% stated that they do not have any idea at all. “

Later on Mr. Pandeli Rugova, the representative of the legal office at the Municipality of Peja, declared that ” We are concerned with the level of implementation of the Law on Protection of Informers and with the implementation of other laws in general. This law is not being implemented and therefore there are no positive effects, it is at a very low stage of implementation”. Further, Mr. Rugova added that “the laws in general should be adapted to the political, social and economic environment in Kosovo before their approval by the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo “. Whereas, in terms of norms of the Law on Protection of Informers, Mr. Rugova added that “provisions and sanctions of the article on denunciation of the reporting individuals is challenging, because it is not clearly specified their protection”. In the end, Mr. Rugova stated that “There will be not lack of commitment on the implementation of laws, although often there are objective and subjective obstacles which obstruct the implementation of the laws.” According to him “One of the reasons why the law is implemented at a such low level is the lack of appointment of bodies and individuals responsible for the acceptance of information”.

Chief Executive of the Waste Company, Mr. Nexhat Avdullahu, stated that the law contains major deficiencies. Mr. Avdullahu added that “the law should provide the possibility of the informant to approach justice institutions in case of denunciation of corruption affairs.” He further said that “We must continue to promote the law in question.”

In the end, Mr. Ukë Selimaj stressed that “There should be various forms for public information about the laws and particularly the Law on Protection of Informers”.