Musical creativity in Kosovo will now be more protected than ever.
For this very reason, today marked the launch of the organization for collective management of music rights, a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and Sports (MKRS) and the Kosovo Music Rights Society (KMRS).
Political figures, artists, prosecutors, and lawyers joined the event to support the initiative.
Among them was the acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, who said that this matter concerns not only legal aspects but also moral ones.
“Today we take a step beyond music. At the core of the creation of KMRS and the work that precedes it lies a bigger idea—the right to own the fruit of our labor, so that authors can also benefit from public use. This is not only a legal matter but also a moral, cultural, and philosophical one. A society that recognizes and protects creativity is a society that believes in itself—a society that believes in its present and future. It is also a society that respects artists, not just one that loves them,” Kurti expressed.
He also mentioned the traditional Albanian instrument, the çifteli, to demonstrate how important it is to protect what belongs to the author.
Meanwhile, the chairwoman of KMRS and the initiator of this initiative, Kaltrina Mehmeti, emphasized that it is time for artists to receive their deserved recognition.
“Authors and composers are not always public figures; they do not always perform in concerts or nightclubs. Often, their works become part of an economy without their direct involvement. When an author or composer creates a work, they must be compensated. This is the author’s right. This urgent need to protect authors’ rights led to the establishment of KMRS,” she said.
Among the attendees was also the Secretary General of Culture, Besnik Bislimi, who announced that the new organization will manage the official licensing of musical works for public performances, broadcasts, and online platforms.
“The new organization for collective management will serve as an authorized body for managing copyright and related rights in the field of music, on behalf of authors, composers, performers, and producers. It will manage the official licensing of musical works for public performances, broadcasts, online platforms, and other forms of commercial use, collect and distribute revenue transparently, and ensure that the use of creators’ works complies with the legislation of the Republic of Kosovo,” Bislimi emphasized.
For the first time in Kosovo, this year, tariffs for copyright for the majority of music users have been approved, Kaltrina Mehmeti announced at the conference. Starting January 2026, this draft law will be enforced, requiring music users to obtain authorization for using music and fulfill their financial obligations.
