U.S. Dep't of State, 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report: Kosovo

KOSOVO (Tier 2) The Government of Kosovo does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period; therefore, Kosovo remained on Tier 2. These efforts included prosecuting more alleged traffickers and identifying more victims. The government increased funding for victim assistance, including for the government-run shelter and one NGO-run shelter.

Similarly, the government increased funding for the victim compensation fund, which paid compensation to more victims. However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. The government convicted fewer traffickers, and courts acquitted the majority of alleged traffickers and continued to issue sentences below the minimum penalty prescribed under the trafficking law. Authorities investigated and prosecuted parentally forced begging by children as parental neglect or abuse rather than trafficking and, because of inadequate identification procedures for forced begging, the government did not take effective measures to prevent the inappropriate penalization of potential victims solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked.

The government lacked the capacity to provide long-term assistance and allocated fewer funds for awareness campaigns. PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATIONS: Vigorously investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes, including those involving complicit officials, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms. Provide advanced anti-trafficking training to judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement, including the indicators of trafficking, victim-centered and trauma-informed trafficking investigations, and to handle all forced begging cases as trafficking. Proactively identify trafficking victims by screening for trafficking indicators among vulnerable populations, including individuals involved in commercial sex, children, and Romani, Ashkali, and Albanian Egyptian communities, and refer all victims to appropriate services.

Develop written guidance and enhance efforts to identify and assist children exploited through forced begging. Allocate sufficient resources to the Centers for Social Welfare (CSW) to increase their capacity, staff, and knowledge to assist trafficking victims. Increase resources for NGO-run shelters providing victim assistance. Increase government support for comprehensive vocational training and reintegration services for victims.

Provide anti-trafficking training to hotline operators, including on victim identification and referral to services.

PROSECUTION

The government decreased anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts. Article 165 of the criminal code criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking and prescribed punishments of five to 12 years’ imprisonment and a fine for offenses involving adult victims and five to 15 years’ imprisonment, and a fine for offenses involving child victims. These punishments were sufficiently stringent and, with regard to sex trafficking, commensurate with those prescribed for other grave crimes, such as rape. In 2024, police investigated five new cases (two cases for sex trafficking and three cases for labor trafficking), compared with six new cases in 2023.

Police continued to investigate three sex trafficking cases, and two labor trafficking cases initiated in previous years. Authorities prosecuted 17 new cases involving 49 alleged traffickers (13 cases with 45 alleged sex traffickers and four cases with four alleged labor traffickers), compared with eight cases involving 10 alleged traffickers in 2023. Authorities continued to prosecute six cases with 14 alleged traffickers initiated in previous years. Courts convicted one sex trafficker, a significant decrease compared with 14 traffickers in 2023.

A judge sentenced the only convicted sex trafficker to eight months’ imprisonment, which was below the minimum penalty of five years’ imprisonment. Sentences below minimum penalties and fines alone undercut efforts to hold traffickers accountable, weakened deterrence, created potential security and safety concerns for victims, and did not reflect the seriousness of the crime. Courts acquitted 17 suspected traffickers for unspecified reasons. Observers reported most prosecutors and judges lack training and experience, especially on crimes involving emotional control or psychological coercion of a victim, resulted in weak sentences or cases charged as offenses with lower penalties than human trafficking.

Authorities convicted seven additional perpetrators for “utilizing sexual services from a trafficking victim,” compared with 12 in 2023. Judges issued a fine of €1,000 ($1,040) to six perpetrators and a fine of €3,000 ($3,120) to one perpetrator. Authorities prosecuted four defendants and convicted 12 perpetrators who “utilized sexual services from a trafficking victim,” compared with prosecuting 35 defendants and convicting 12 perpetrators in 2023. The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees complicit in human trafficking crimes.

In November 2024, the Supreme Court of Kosovo adopted the revised sentencing guidelines for judges, including guidance on sentencing in trafficking cases. The Trafficking in Human Beings Directorate (THBD) of the Kosovo Police (KP) investigated all trafficking cases through its eight regional units with 45 officers. THBD maintained two units: one for investigations and one for victim assistance and protection. The Office of the State Prosecutor (OSP) continued to designate a special coordinator for trafficking cases and maintained a trafficking point of contact in all seven basic prosecution offices.

The special coordinator for trafficking monitored cases, provided guidance, participated in the anti-trafficking law enforcement task force, and organized trainings and workshops. The THBD cooperated with the Labor Inspectorate, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Tax Administration to conduct 228 joint inspections of bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and massage parlors (283 in 2023), which led to the closure of 68 premises (66 in 2023). The government maintained institutionalized training programs at the Justice Academy, and the OSP trained police, prosecutors, and victims’ advocates on various trafficking issues. The government, in cooperation with international organizations and NGOs, also trained police, prosecutors, and immigration officials to recognize trafficking crimes and identify victims.

The government exchanged information with foreign governments on 32 trafficking-related cases and extradited nine suspected traffickers.

PROTECTION

The government increased victim protection efforts. The government identified 14 victims, compared with 17 victims in 2023. Of the 14 victims identified, traffickers exploited seven in sex trafficking and seven in labor trafficking; ten were women, two were men, ten were girls; and nine were foreign nationals. First responders used standard indicators to screen vulnerable populations; however, observers reported a lack of guidance and proactive identification efforts for forced begging victims, especially children.

The KP continued to investigate forced begging of children by their parents as parental neglect or abuse rather than trafficking, stating that based on their interpretation of Kosovo legislation, children accompanied by their parents did not meet the definition of trafficking. A multi-disciplinary NRM provided SOPs for identifying and referring victims to services. The NRM required an investigator from the THBD and a victim’s advocate from the Office for Victim Assistance and Advocacy to convene, conduct a comprehensive risk assessment, and coordinate victim care and referrals. The NRM also required a social worker to participate in assessments for child victims.

NGOs reported the referral process functioned well. The government, sometimes in cooperation with an NGO, trained police, social workers, health workers, and immigration officials on victim identification and referral. The government funded and ran a specialized Interim Security Facility (ISF) to provide services to high-risk victims, such as victims of cases with the trafficker still at-large, victims testifying in court proceedings, or those awaiting repatriation, and licensed and funded two NGO-run shelters to provide services to low- and medium-risk victims. The government allocated €150,000 ($156,090) to the ISF, a significant increase compared with €75,000 ($78,040) in 2023.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MLSW) allocated €95,000 ($98,960) to one NGO-run shelter and €72,000 ($74,920) to the other NGO-run, compared with €65,000 ($67,640) and €97,500 ($101,460) respectively in 2023. MLSW also allocated €21,000 ($21,850) to an NGO providing victim assistance, compared with €25,000 ($26,010) in 2023. The Pristina municipal government provided one of the NGO-run shelters with €16,000 ($16,650), compared with €14,000 ($14,570) in 2023. The Fushe Kosove municipal government provided the same NGO-run shelter with €3,000 ($3,120), compared with €2,000 ($2,080) in 2023.

The three shelters provided legal assistance, medical and psychological services, counseling, education, recreational services, and reintegration support to 18 victims in 2024. The ISF temporarily accommodated 18 victims assessed as high risk (16 in 2023) at a dedicated facility. The facility had the capacity to assist 40 victims for up to 90 days with separate rooms for women, men, and families. Authorities required victims to have a police escort outside the ISF while court proceedings were ongoing and required an approval from a prosecutor and the KP for victims assessed as high risk to permanently leave the ISF.

The two government-funded NGO-run shelters accommodated victims assessed as low and medium risk and focused on long-term assistance; the two shelters assisted 18 victims (28 in 2023). The CSW appointed case managers who prepared care plans in cooperation with the victim and shelter staff. The CSW provided services to child victims and acted as legal guardians, but observers reported the CSW lacked the capacity and staff to handle all their responsibilities. Civil society reported good quality of care for victims, but reintegration programs had limited success because of a lack of resources and a lack of employment opportunities for victims to become financially independent.

The government provided education and vocational training to four victims and job placement assistance for one victim. Due to a lack of consistent screening and identification procedures for responding to forced begging, authorities deported some unidentified trafficking victims solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked. The government maintained a 90-day reflection period, in which victims could recover before deciding whether to cooperate with law enforcement. Authorities afforded foreign victims the same rights and services as Kosovan victims, and the law entitled foreign victims to a temporary residence permit for at least six months; no foreign victims requested a permit in 2024.

The government did not repatriate any victims (two victims in 2023). The Office for Victim Assistance and Advocacy maintained victim advocates in all seven basic prosecution offices providing free legal aid and representing trafficking victims throughout the criminal justice process. The government required a victim advocate to attend interviews with victims and police and/or prosecutors. The government reported suspected traffickers were not present when victims provided statements, and foreign victims could return to their countries of origin after testifying without waiting for the conclusion of the trial.

The law provided a victim-witness assistance and protection program, including the ability to testify through a written statement or the use of audio/video equipment; two victims testified with video statements. The government reported 14 victims participated in investigations and prosecutions (13 in 2023). The law allowed judges to issue restitution in criminal cases or victims to receive compensation from a government-financed compensation program if the victim was unable to obtain restitution from the traffickers. Judges generally did not issue restitution in criminal proceedings and encouraged victims to seek compensation by filing civil suits or through the victim compensation fund.

The victim compensation fund granted four victims a total compensation of €8,000 ($8,320), compared with two victims compensated €4,000 ($4,160) in 2023. Additionally, the government allocated €200,000 ($208,120) to the victim compensation fund, compared with €150,000 ($156,090) in 2023.

PREVENTION

The government maintained efforts to prevent trafficking. The National Authority Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP), composed of representatives from eight government ministries, the judiciary, municipal offices, victim advocates, NGOs, and international observers, coordinated interagency efforts; the NAATIP held quarterly meetings in addition to ad hoc meetings and produced quarterly reports. The national anti-trafficking coordinator chaired NAATIP and monitored the implementation of the 2022-2026 national strategy and the 2022-2024 NAP. The OSP maintained local multi-disciplinary teams comprising a prosecutor, police, victim advocates, social workers, and shelter representatives to improve information sharing and coordination on trafficking cases in three regions.

The government allocated €3,550 ($3,690) for awareness campaigns targeting children, students, and the public, compared with €8,175 ($8,510) for awareness campaigns in 2023. The NAATIP partnered with a mobile operator to send text messages to its subscribers with the number for the national hotline and KP email address. The government-operated hotline for victims of domestic violence and other crimes received ten trafficking-related calls and referred one call to THBD (nine trafficking-related calls in 2023). Observers reported operators lacked the capacity to understand and respond to trafficking-related calls and needed specialized training, particularly for calls concerning potential child forced begging.

The MLSW maintained a legal framework for the registration and licensing of private-sector employers, including foreign employment agencies. The law prohibited agencies from charging recruitment fees, but the government did not report efforts to monitor recruitment agencies. Labor inspectors conducted routine inspections of worksites; however, the government did not report training labor inspectors on identifying trafficking crimes or reporting any potential trafficking crimes to law enforcement. The government made efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts, including by prosecuting and convicting perpetrators who “utilized sexual services from a trafficking victim” and organizing awareness campaigns targeting purchasers of commercial sex.

TRAFFICKING PROFILE: Trafficking affects all communities. This section summarizes government and civil society reporting on the nature and scope of trafficking over the past five years. Human traffickers exploit sex trafficking victims in Kosovo by recruiting women and girls with fraudulent promises of marriage or employment as dancers and singers and instead forcing victims into sex trafficking in private homes, apartments, nightclubs, and massage parlors. Traffickers exploit children from Kosovo, Albania, and neighboring countries in forced begging.

Many sex trafficking victims in Kosovo are girls, although traffickers also exploit women from Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and other European countries in sex trafficking. In 2024, traffickers in Kosovo exploited foreign victims from Albania, Colombia, Mexico, Thailand, and Venezuela. Traffickers subject Kosovans to sex trafficking and forced labor throughout Europe. Members of the Romani, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities, particularly children, are vulnerable to forced begging and sex trafficking, including by traffickers who are often their parents or relatives.

Those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual; migrants; asylum-seekers; and refugees also experience a higher risk of trafficking. On This Page search > < KOSOVO (Tier 2) PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATIONS: PROSECUTION PROTECTION PREVENTION TRAFFICKING PROFILE: Tags Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Human Trafficking Kosovo Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Reports