The European Union Office in Kosovo, the QUINT countries and EULEX have sent a letter to Kosovo’s institutions calling for the adoption of secondary legislation to clarify the implementation of the legal framework governing the use of community symbols and flags.

The letter, dated June 17, 2026, and obtained by KosovaPress, was addressed to Acting Minister of Local Government Administration Elbert Krasniqi and Acting Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Sveçla. Copies were also sent to the Director General of the Kosovo Police and all municipal mayors.

The document was signed by Acting Head of the EU Office in Kosovo Eva Palatová, French Ambassador Olivier Guérot, German Ambassador Rainer Rudolph, Italian Ambassador Maurizio Antonini, British Ambassador Jonathan Hargreaves, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Anu Prattipati, and Head of EULEX Giovanni Pietro Barbano.

The letter states that Kosovo’s Constitution and legislation protect the right of all communities to preserve, express and develop their identities, including through the use and display of community symbols.

According to the signatories, the use of symbols, including national and community flags, is a constitutionally protected right, and Kosovo authorities are obliged not only to refrain from interfering with this right but also to create the conditions necessary for its equal exercise.

However, the letter notes that the current legal framework remains incomplete because the secondary legislation foreseen under the Law on the Use of State Symbols has yet to be adopted.

According to the signatories, the absence of these by-laws creates legal uncertainty and increases the risk of inconsistent or discriminatory implementation in practice.

For this reason, the EU, QUINT and EULEX call on Kosovo institutions to adopt, as a matter of priority, the necessary secondary legislation to ensure legal clarity and consistent implementation throughout the country.

They also request that this process be carried out in close consultation with non-majority communities and in coordination with international partners.

The letter further stresses that, until the necessary regulations are adopted, all issues related to the use of community flags and symbols, including during holidays and anniversaries, should be handled in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws, in a consistent, proportionate and non-discriminatory manner.

/KosovaPress