Kosovo commission for missing persons announced that during the planned activities in Peja and Prizren, human remains were found and exhumed, potentially belonging to victims of the war in Kosovo and persons who are still missing. The identification process, including forensic and DNA analyses, is ongoing, and the families will be notified after the identity is confirmed, reports KoSSev.
"In these locations, one in Peja and one in Prizren, exhumed remains were also found, which could potentially belong to war victims and persons who are still on the list of missing persons. The process of verification and pathological examination will continue in accordance with legal and professional procedures," the Commission's announcement states.
The issue of missing persons particularly burdens the relations between the Serbian and Albanian people. In the latest report of the European Commission, it is emphasized that a total of 1.590 persons are still missing, while from April 2024 to the same period next year, the identity and fate of 26 missing persons has been revealed.
The Kosovo Police and the Institute for War Crimes have improved their capacities, while civil society actively participates in initiatives for truth, reconciliation and remembrance of the disappeared, the European Commission stated.
However, political will remains a key obstacle in solving this issue, according to the families of the missing, as well as experts.
Bekim Bljakaj, executive director of the Fund for Humanitarian Law Kosovo, previously told Kossev: "Political will is a key obstacle. Hopes were high after the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in December 2024, but the meetings were interrupted. The European Union did not do enough to make the issue a priority."
In the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, however, a joint Declaration on the Missing Persons was reached, and then a commission was formed to implement this declaration. It will almost be a year since its formation was agreed upon.
In the previous months, remains were exhumed at several different locations in Kosovo, which are believed to belong to missing persons.
The issue of missing persons in Kosovo has been going on for more than two decades. From January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2000, 10.093 civilians of various ethnic backgrounds lost their lives or disappeared. At the end of the conflict in 1999, it was estimated that between 4.400 and 4.500 people were missing, while a total of 6.065 cases of missing persons were registered. More than 4.000 cases have been resolved through international organizations, such as ICMP and ICRC.
Source: KoSSev
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