Kosovo parliament sets up commission after Arlinda Zekaj’s murder — Interia

In Pristina, Kosovo, thousands of people took to the streets to protest violence against women and the inaction of state institutions after the murder of 49-year-old Arlinda Zekaj. At an extraordinary session, Kosovo’s parliament established an investigative commission to determine the possible responsibility of state institutions in the case, Interia reports.

Warnings of danger

Zekaj, who held US and Kosovo citizenship, repeatedly complained about violence by her husband before her death. She moved in with her parents and asked for protection. According to the outlet, the woman returned home after her husband was detained last weekend in connection with incidents of domestic violence.

As Interia writes, police did not provide her with protection, and after she returned home, the woman was killed with an axe; according to the outlet, this was done by her brother-in-law. Three days before her death, Zekaj wrote to the prosecutor’s office that officials were shifting responsibility onto one another and that the threat to her life remained.

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Authorities’ and protesters’ response

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said there had been a systemic chain of negligence by institutions responsible for security and justice. He noted that the case had been preceded by clear warning signs that were ignored.

Protest participants carried photographs of murdered women and placards calling for action against violence. According to Interia, eight women have already been killed in Kosovo this year. Kosovo’s Ministry of Justice reported that in 2025, police registered 2,815 reports of domestic violence in the country, which has a population of about 2 million people.