LGBT rights in Kosovo explained

Location Header:Kosovo
Legal Status:Legal since 1858 when part of the Ottoman Empire, criminalized upon incorpotation into the Kingdom of Serbia in 1913, again made legal in 1994 as part of Yugoslavia
Gender Identity Expression:Transgender people not permitted to change legal gender
Recognition Of Relationships:No recognition
Adoption:Any single person allowed to adopt[1] [2]
Military:Gay, lesbian and bisexual people allowed to serve openly
Discrimination Protections:Sexual orientation constitutional and statutory protections (see below)

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Kosovo have improved in recent years, most notably with the adoption of the new Constitution, banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.[3] Kosovo remains one of the few Muslim-majority countries that hold regular pride parades.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Adoption Laws in Kosovo: Unmarried persons. State portal of the Republic of Kosovo. Constitution of Kosovo. 19 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150318004133/http://www.rks-gov.net/en-us/qytetaret/familja/pages/adoptimi.aspx. 18 March 2015. dead.
  2. Web site: Adoption in Kosovo (Report) - p. 6. OSCE Mission in Kosovo.
  3. Web site: Kosovo Constitution. https://web.archive.org/web/20080526222929/http://www.kushtetutakosoves.info/?cid=2%2C250. dead. 26 May 2008. kushtetutakosoves.info.
  4. Web site: Qeveria merr në mbrojtje komunitetin LGBT. Albinfo.ch.
  5. Web site: Qeveria formon trupë këshilluese e koordinuese për komunitetin LGBT. 18 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150419031224/http://reporteri.net/?page=1,2,13529. 19 April 2015. dead.
  6. Web site: Marsh kundër homofobisë. Telegrafi.com. 19 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150427143332/http://www.telegrafi.com/lajme/marsh-kunder-homofobise-2-44961.html. 27 April 2015. dead.
  7. Web site: Komuniteti LGBT është i dukshëm dhe pjesë e shoqërisë kosovare. Zëri.
  8. Web site: Press release: European Union in Kosovo: March against homophobia . European Union Office in Kosovo . 15 May 2014 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20150505130432/http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/kosovo/documents/press_corner/press_releases/2014/150514_kosovo_marks_international_day_against_homophobia..._en.doc . 5 May 2015 .
  9. Web site: Flamuri i LGBT'së në ndërtesën e Qeverisë së Kosovës. Gazeta Express.
  10. Web site: Thaci takes part in first gay parade in Pristina . . 17 May 2016.
  11. Web site: Kosovo holds first-ever gay pride march . . 17 May 2016.
  12. Web site: KOSOVO LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey. lgbti-era.org. 2018-12-03.
  13. http://www.ageofconsent.com/slovenia.htm CROATIA: NEW PENAL CODE
  14. Book: Tapon, Francis. The Hidden Europe: What Eastern Europeans Can Teach Us. 19 May 2012. SonicTrek, Inc.. 9780976581222. Google Books.
  15. http://old.ilga.org/Statehomophobia/ILGA_SSHR_2014_Eng.pdf State-sponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults
  16. News: Same-Sex Marriage Legal in Kosovo?. 12 September 2014. Human Rights Campaign. 21 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150706172511/http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/same-sex-marriage-legal-in-kosovo. 6 July 2015. dead.
  17. Web site: Kosovo Rights Activists Seek Clarity on Gay Marriage. 4 July 2017. Balkan Insight.
  18. Web site: Kosovo's new civil code opens the way for gay marriage. bne IntelliNews. 8 July 2020.
  19. News: LGBTI groups criticise civil partnership plans . 8 September 2020 . Prishtina Insight . 8 July 2020.
  20. Web site: Press conf. on finalization of the #CivilCode of.... . Selimi . Selim . July 7, 2020 . September 29, 2021 . Twitter . en.
  21. Web site: 2022-03-17 . Kosovo's parliament rejects new law recognising same-sex civil unions . 2023-11-15 . euronews . en.
  22. Web site: 2022-03-16 . Kosovo Assembly fails to adopt the new Civil Code allowing same-sex civil unions . 2022-03-17 . Gazeta Express . sq.
  23. Web site: Kosovo promises to introduce same-sex unions in May.
  24. Web site: Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. 22 March 2019. 20 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130420084042/http://kryeministri-ks.net/repository/docs/Constitution1Kosovo.pdf. dead.
  25. http://www.unmikonline.org/civpol/gender/doc/Anti-Discriminiation-Law-in-Kosovo-2004.pdf Law 2004/3: The Anti-Discrimination Law
  26. Web site: Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People in Europe 2016: Kosovo. 31 August 2017. 31 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170831090653/https://www.ilga-europe.org/sites/default/files/2016/kosovo.pdf. dead.
  27. Web site: New Criminal Code in Kosovo strengthens protections for LGBTI persons. www.lgbti-era.org. 28 July 2020. 8 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230508050013/https://www.lgbti-era.org/news/new-criminal-code-kosovo-strengthens-protections-lgbti-persons. dead.
  28. Web site: Annual Review of the human rights situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe and Central Asia. 28 July 2020. 6 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200606070321/https://www.ilga-europe.org/sites/default/files/2020/full_annual_review.pdf. dead.
  29. Web site: Ndalohet për 48 orë zyrtari i Ministrisë së Drejtesisë që kërcënoi komunitetin LGBT. almakos. 14 February 2019. sq.
  30. Web site: Rainbow Europe. rainbow-europe.org.
  31. Web site: KOSOVO | LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey. lgbti-era.org.
  32. Web site: Kosovo turns its eye on Macedonian transgender rights. Pristina Insight. 31 January 2019.
  33. Web site: Transgender Macedonians Hails 'Turning Point' European Court Ruling. Balkan Insight. 31 January 2019.
  34. Web site: LANDMARK DECISION FOR TRANSGENDER RIGHTS. Kosovo 2.0. 20 January 2020. Dafina Halili.
  35. Web site: Kominitetit LGBT u ndalohet dhruimi i gjakut në Kosovë. Pa Censurë. 23 June 2018. sq.
  36. Web site: Center for Social Emancipation. Qesh.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20071116190514/http://www.qesh.org/eng.php. 16 November 2007. 9 October 2009.
  37. Web site: «Bubble Pub» – Kosovos erste LGBTQ+-Bar. 19 May 2023.
  38. Web site: Being gay in Kosovo, Europe's youngest nation. Equal Times. 12 March 2018. Davies. Jack.
  39. Web site: Kosovar Minister, Pristina's Mayor Join Gay Pride-Parade. RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 10 October 2018. Pristina.
  40. Web site: In photos: Kosovo holds its third Pride Parade. Prishtina Insight. 10 October 2019. Travers. Eve-anne.
  41. Web site: Kosovo Pride Activists Put Law Under Spotlight. Balkan Insight. 10 October 2019. Bami. Xhorxhina. Pristina.
  42. Web site: Pride Week kicks off in Prishtina. Prishtina Insight. 10 October 2019. Travers. Eve-anne.
  43. Web site: Government of Kosovo] is supportive of the country's LGBT community.[4] In late 2013, the Parliament Assembly passed a bill to create a coordinating group for the LGBT community.[5] On 17 May 2014, well-known politicians and diplomats, including British Ambassador Ian Cliff and several local LGBT organizations took to the streets of Pristina to march against homophobia.[6] [7] The event was welcomed by the European Union office in Kosovo,[8] as well as by the government itself. A large LGBT flag covered the front side of the government building that night.[9] [10] [11]

    Law regarding same-sex sexual activity

    Ottoman Empire

    In 1858, the Ottoman Empire, then in control of Kosovo, legalized same-sex intercourse.[12]

    Yugoslavia

    See main article: LGBT history in Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav Criminal Code of 1929 banned "lewdness against the order of nature" (anal intercourse). The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia also restricted the offense to same-sex anal intercourse, with the maximum sentence reduced to 1 to 2 years' imprisonment in 1959.[13]

    In 1994, male same-sex sexual intercourse became legal in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija when it was a part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.[14]

    UNMIK period

    In 2004, during the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) period, the legal age of consent was set at 14 regardless of the individual's gender or sexual orientation,[15] and all sexual offenses were made gender-neutral.

    Independent era

    Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Same-sex sexual intercourse has remained legal. This period has also seen an increasing visibility for the LGBT community, and discussions surrounding such issues have become more mainstream. In 2008, the Constitution of Kosovo was promulgated, containing provisions outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, amongst others.

    Recognition of same-sex relationships

    In 2014, the President of the Constitutional Court said that Kosovo de jure allows same-sex marriage.[16] Article 144(3) of the Constitution of Kosovo requires the Constitutional Court to approve any amendments to the Constitution so as to ensure they do not infringe upon the civil rights previously guaranteed. Article 14 of the Law on Family (Albanian: Ligji për Familjen; Serbian: Zakon o porodici) defines marriage as a "legally registered community of two persons of different sexes," though Kosovo gay rights activists have argued this contradicts the wording of the Constitution and have called on same-sex couples to challenge the law in court.[17]

    On 7 July 2020, Minister of Justice Selim Selimi announced that the new Civil Code would allow for same-sex civil partnerships, which the Government of Kosovo planned to introduce within a few months.[18] The move was criticised by some LGBT rights groups because it entrenched the legal distinction between opposite-sex and same-sex couples.[19] If the civil code is passed, a special law for civil unions will be required.[20] The draft Civil Code was rejected by the Assembly on 16 March 2022. Only 28 out of 120 MPs voted in favour of the bill.[21] [22]

    On 25 April 2024 Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced his government's intention to legalize same-sex unions.[23]

    Discrimination protections

    Article 24 of the Constitution of Kosovo bans discrimination on a number of grounds, including sexual orientation. Kosovo is one of the few states in Europe with a constitutional ban on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The wording states:[24]

    The Anti-Discrimination Law of 2004 (Albanian: Ligji Kundër Diskriminimit; Serbian: Zakon protiv diskriminacije) passed by the Kosovo Assembly bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in a variety of fields, including employment, membership of organizations, education, the provision of goods and services, social security and access to housing. The definition of discrimination in this law explicitly includes direct and indirect discrimination, as well as harassment, victimization and segregation.[25]

    On 26 May 2015, the Parliament Assembly approved amendments adding gender identity to Kosovo's anti-discrimination law. The amendments took effect in July 2015.[26]

    In April 2019, the new Criminal Code of Kosovo went into force, with stronger protections for LGBT citizens. The law provides additional penalties for the commission of a hate crime motivated by the victim's or victims' sexual orientation or gender identity.[27]

    Despite these legal protections, LGBT people tend to avoid reporting discrimination or abuse cases to the police. A total of 10 bias-motivated crimes against LGBT people were reported to the authorities in 2019, with a further 13 reported to LGBT organizations only.[28] In February 2019, authorities initiated a case against an official at the Ministry of Justice who had called for LGBT people to be beheaded. Police took him into custody.[29]

    Transgender rights

    Transgender people are not allowed to legally change their gender in Kosovo, even if they have undergone sex reassignment surgery.[30] [31]

    In 2017, a Kosovar citizen, Blert Morina, submitted a court case, seeking to change his name and gender on official identification documents. His request was rejected by Kosovo's Civil Registration Agency. His lawyer, Rina Kika, said he had requested a constitutional review of the agency's decision in July 2018.[32] [33] In December 2019, the Basic Court of Pristina ruled in Morina's favour, affirming his right to change both his name and sex marker on his identification documents. Kika said that "for the first time the court has decided to recognize the right to gender identity without offering evidence for surgical intervention or any medical change".[34] The Ministry of Justice and the Civil Registration Agency have stated that the judgment will not be considered precedent, and other transgender people will have to go through a similar court procedure.

    Military service

    See also: Sexual orientation and military service. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are allowed to serve openly in the military. However, they may face discrimination by peers when serving openly.

    Blood donation

    According to a 2018 guideline for "Blood Donation Week", those who have "intimate relationships with the same sex" cannot donate blood.[35]

    Living conditions

    An LGBT rights group, the Center for Social Emancipation, describes gay life in Kosovo as being "underground" and mostly secretive.[36] Kosovo has one gay bar, in Pristina.[37]

    According to a 2015 survey conducted by the National Democratic Institute, 81% of LGBT Kosovars said they had been subject to psychological abuse, and 29% reported being victim of physical violence.[38]

    Events celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia have been organized in Kosovo since 2007. The first pride parade occurred in Pristina in May 2016, with attendance from President Hashim Thaçi and British and American diplomats. The annual Pride Week has been held in Pristina since 2017. In 2018, Mayor Shpend Ahmeti participated.[39] During the event's third edition in October 2019, participants started at the Skanderbeg Square, making their way down Mother Teresa Boulevard to Zahir Pajaziti Square, passing the government and parliament buildings and other landmarks of the city, with the slogan "Whoever your heart beats for" (Për kon t'rreh zemra). The events have been held without incidence,[40] [41] and consist of various artistic exhibitions, parties, conferences, discussions and a parade.[42]

    LGBT rights movement in Kosovo

    There are currently several local LGBT rights organisations in Kosovo. Among the most notable are the Center for Equality and Liberty (CEL; Albanian: Qendra për Barazi dhe Liri), the Center for Social Group Development (CSGD; Albanian: Qendra për Zhvillimin e Grupeve Shoqërore), and the Center for Social Emancipation (QESh; Albanian: Qendra për Emancipim Shoqëror).

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