News
SUPPORT PROVIDED BY HAPE PROJECT IN 2024
- 15 - 16 January 2024: accommodation of the Forensic team of the Kosovo Police for a meeting on organized crime cases, in Tirana with the Albanian State Police.
- 22 January 2024: HAPE project aiming at seeking synergies joined in the workshop for public spaces and critical infrastructures protection organized by the EU Project Western Balkans 6.
Enhancing protection of public spaces and critical infrastructures in the Western Balkans, in Pristina, from the 22nd to the 26th of January 2024.
- 21 - 22 February 2024: accommodation for one police officer to attend the Coalition against Daesh communications Working group conference, in London.
- 26 Feb – 01 March 2024: 3 Italian experts, assessment on technical needs for special investigations.
- 04 – 08 March 2024: 2 Italian experts, support in drafting the first European terrorism situation and Trend report (TE-SAT) for Kosovo.
- 11 March – 4 May 2024: One French expert, assessed the training on trainers (ToTs) and on-the-job trainings (OJTs) curricula of the Kosovo Academy of Public Safety (KAPS) and of the Kosovo Police (KP), training department. After a mission of 6 weeks, an updated curricula and pedagogical tools will be proposed and delivered to the beneficiary counterparts.
- 21 March 2024: HAPE supported 1 KP officer, for a training on the Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA) Channel, the secured information hub on crime at EUROPOL, in the HAGUE.
- 24 March 2024: HAPE supported 2 KP police officers, for an operational meeting in the framework of a Joint investigation team (JIT), with the Federal Prosecution of Belgium, in Brussels.
- 15 April 2024: One Italian expert, supported the review of the Kosovo draft law on the civil use of explosives for its alignment with EU relevant directives. Comments and recomendations were provided for improving the draft law.
- 16 - 18 April 2024: HAPE project supported the attendance of a delegation of Kosovo Police for a forum on "Combating International Organized Crime" in Rome.
HAPE project supported the attendance of a delegation of Kosovo Police, led by the Director of the Department of Investigations, to the Italian Carabinieri College in Rome, for a Forum on "Combating International Organized Crime", organized by the European Centre for Security Studies - George C. Marshall. The Forum gathered high representatives of institutions from Europe, USA, and Latin America, judges, prosecutors, senior police officials, and security researchers from various prestigious universities, invited by the organizers to share a thorough presentation on the topic "Organized Crime in the Western Balkans and Regional Security". The event was a significant opportunity for the KP representatives to enhance their knowledge of the Organized crime groups (OCG), phenomena operating worldwide and to extend the network of contacts for Kosovo Police, with the view to enhance the fight against organized crime with the support of the EU institutions.
- 19 April 2024: One French expert supported the review of the Kosovo draft law on weapons for its alignment with EU relevant directives. Comments and recommendations were provided for improving the draft law.
- 20 April 2024: In the framework of the review of the national strategic plan on the Rule of Law, one Italian expert supported the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Justice, in jointly drafting a policy document on the functioning of the Kosovo Police. Recomendations were provided for improving the functioning of KP.
- 22 April 2024: One Italian expert supported the Kosovo Forensic Agency (KFA).
The KFA has competences to carry out all forensic investigations for the law enforcement agencies of Kosovo, and as it has received accreditation for ISO 1705:2018. The expert, with a preliminary assessment, will delineate clearly the technical training needs for the serology and DNA laboratory, the narcotics analysis laboratory, the dactyloscopy laboratory and the explosives analysis laboratory. As well as, the expert will provide support in drafting the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for technicians within the laboratories.
- 23 April 2024: HAPE project organized jointly with EULEX mission in Kosovo a conference on environmental crime in Kosovo.
In the framework of the Earth Week, an awareness-raising conference on environmental crime, targeting Kosovo police officers and prosecutors, was held at Hotel Emerald, in Pristina. The head of EULEX mission, the deputy Head of the European Union in Kosovo, the Belgian ambassador and the Italian deputy ambassador, the acting Prosecutor General, the Deputy Minister of Environment, the Deputy Minister of Health, the EULEX Thematic Monitor on Environmental Crimes, the HAPE team Leader, representatives of the Kosovo Police and the Inspectorate of the Ministry of the Environment attended the event. It was an opportunity to exchange views and hear about best practices in Kosovo and also from structures for combating environmental crime in EU MS, with representatives of the Italian Carabinieri Center of Excellence for Environmental Protection of Sabaudia and the French Gendarmerie Command for the Environment and Health.
- 26 April 2024: HAPE Project held its third Steering Committee meeting on 26 April 2024, in Pristina.
The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Massimo Prozzo - Task Manager of the European Union Office in Kosovo (EUOK) and Mr. Ron Krasniqi - Acting Head of Division for Policy Coordination - Department for European Integration, International Cooperation and Policy Coordination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Also present at the meeting were: Col. Dejan Janković - Deputy General Director of Kosovo Police, Mr. Atdhe Dema - Prosecutor from Special Prosecution Office (SPO), representatives from various departments of MIA, including representatives from Police Inspectorate of Kosovo, KFA and KAPS. Among the consortium for the project, Ms. Naomi DOO-KINGUE - French Directorate for International cooperation and Security and the Security attachés from the Embassies of Italy and France. And other international partners (US Embassy, OSCE, CoE…etc.). The event was a showcase of the project achievements from March 2023 to March 2024, including views on the way forward, for the 3rd work plan, from April to July 2024. During the presentation of activities, it was underlined that in general, HAPE has made progress in supporting the main beneficiary institutions, namely, MIA, KP, relevant Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and SPRK, with the aim of increasing their capacities, to be in line with EU best practices and standards contributing to the strengthening the Rule of Law and the fight against organized crime in Kosovo.