ANNUAL REPORT 2019 No. 19 Prishtina, 2020 Annual Report 2019 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2019 Contents Ombudsperson‟s statement ....................................................................................................................... 9 I. Ombudsperson Institution ................................................................................................................... 11 Mandate of the Ombudsperson Institution ......................................................................................... 11 Promotion of Human Rights ............................................................................................................... 14 II. Human Rights situation in the Republic of Kosovo .......................................................................... 21 Legislative power ................................................................................................................................ 21 Judicial system .................................................................................................................................... 25 Disciplinary liability of judges and prosecutors ............................................................................. 25 Executive power ................................................................................................................................. 29 Responsibility regarding the living environment ............................................................................... 33 The right of access to public documents ............................................................................................. 43 III. Rights of the child ............................................................................................................................ 46 Status of the rights of the child ........................................................................................................... 46 Legal framework and children‟s rights ............................................................................................... 46 Brief analysis of the Law on Child Protection .................................................................................... 47 Children‟s right to education .............................................................................................................. 49 Violence and security situation in schools .......................................................................................... 50 Children with disabilities .................................................................................................................... 51 Children in street situations ................................................................................................................ 52 Youth/children victims of narcotic drugs abuse ................................................................................. 54 Children‟s rights in proceedings before court and administrative bodies .......................................... 55 Social and health protection of children ............................................................................................. 56 Juvenile justice .................................................................................................................................... 57 Positive state obligations regarding the right to life ........................................................................... 59 IV. Equality before the law .................................................................................................................... 61 Implementation of the Law on Protection from Discrimination ........................................................ 62 Discrimination at work ....................................................................................................................... 64 Discrimination against pensioners ...................................................................................................... 69 Health and Social Protection .............................................................................................................. 71 Social housing ..................................................................................................................................... 72 Persons with disabilities ..................................................................................................................... 73 3 Annual Report 2019 Gender equality ................................................................................................................................... 75 Gender equality related to the issue of the right to work ................................................................ 76 Early elections for the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo and implementation of the Law on Gender Equality .............................................................................................................................. 77 The right to property and inheritance .............................................................................................. 78 Domestic violence ........................................................................................................................... 79 Minority communities in Kosovo ....................................................................................................... 81 Return and security ......................................................................................................................... 81 Property rights ................................................................................................................................. 85 Education ........................................................................................................................................ 87 Use of language ............................................................................................................................... 90 V. National Preventive Mechanisms againts Torture (NPMT) .............................................................. 93 Reports with recommendations published during 2019 ..................................................................... 93 Cooperation of visited institutions with NPMT .................................................................................. 94 Kosovo Police ..................................................................................................................................... 94 Asylum Seekers Centre ..................................................................................................................... 109 Detention center for foreigners ......................................................................................................... 110 The NMPT recommendations and the authorities' progress in their implementation ...................... 112 Mental health institutions ................................................................................................................. 113 Community Integration Homes ........................................................................................................ 114 Home for Elderly People without Family Care ................................................................................ 118 VI. Summary of reports with recommendations, Recommendation Letters, opinions, amicus curiae and requests for interim measures ........................................................................................................ 120 Ex officio Reports ............................................................................................................................. 120 Ex officio Report no. 479/2017 regarding inappropriate management of the sanitary landfill in Velekince, Gjilan .......................................................................................................................... 120 Ex officio Report No. 305/2019 on the treatment of persons with HIV and AIDS ...................... 120 Ex officio Report No. 514/2016 on the issue of children in street situation ................................. 120 Ex officio Report No.450/2018 regarding the unequal treatment of pensioners by commercial banks in Kosovo ............................................................................................................................ 121 Ex officio Report No. 421/2019 on the lack of effective remedies for the settlement of labour disputes .......................................................................................................................................... 121 Ex officio Report no. 340/2017 on the situation of persons with disabilities in the Municipality of Gjilan ............................................................................................................................................ 122 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2019 Ex officio Report No. 346/2019 on the positive obligations of the state regarding protection from domestic violence .......................................................................................................................... 122 Ex officio Report No. 567/2019 on positive state obligations in the case of K.V. ....................... 122 Ex officio Report No. 468/2019 on the positive obligations of the State in the case of Ms. Z. S. 123 Ex officio Report No. 489/2018 on the use of narcotic substances by children ........................... 123 Ex officio Report No. 59/2019 on the Evaluation of the System of Social Service Provision ..... 124 Report with