On 11 September 2024, our Head of Mission Giovanni Pietro Barbano was pleased to inaugurate along with the Deputy Minister of Justice Blerim Sallahu, and in the presence of Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice Nazlie Bala, IFM’s Acting Director Ditor Haliti and management staff, eight office containers at Kosovo’s Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM).

These spaces will host both EULEX & IFM staff, ensuring the continuity of the close working relationship between EULEX’s Forensic Medicine Team and IFM personnel until the completion of the of the IFM’s building repair works, following the damage of the building as a result of fire.
This inauguration stems from the “Technical Arrangements” signed in July 2024 between the EULEX Head of Mission Barbano, and the Kosovo Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, aimed at consolidating the ongoing excellent co-operation between EULEX and the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM), for an increased effectiveness of the work on missing persons.

The temporary installation of containerised offices by EULEX at the IFM covers the essential provision of assistance by EULEX’s Forensic Medicine Team to IFM in all technical aspects of the search, exhumation and identification of missing persons related to the Kosovo conflict. EULEX remains committed to supporting its counterparts at the IFM and other relevant institutions to shed light on the fate of missing persons, regardless of the circumstances of their disappearance, their ethnic, religious or national origin or any other characteristics.

Since the beginning of its mandate to date, EULEX has been working relentlessly to locate and return the remains of missing persons to their families so that they can be buried with respect and dignity. The Mission’s work is to help Kosovo institutions provide the much-needed answers to the missing persons’ families and loved ones, to realize their right to know the truth.

Discover more about our work on missing persons at: EULEX’S work on Missing Persons