On the National Day of Missing Persons, EULEX today commemorates those who have gone missing and the plight of their families in the journey to shed light on the fate of missing persons in Kosovo.

EULEX takes the opportunity to reiterate that accounting for the approximately 1,650 remaining missing persons continues to be a priority for the Mission.

“Families who are left behind can only find closure and relief if they know the fate of their missing loved ones. We are here to help the Kosovo institutions in the long and complex process of accurately identifying missing persons which is a way of moving forward while also dealing with the past”, said EULEX Head of Mission, Alexandra Papadopoulou.

While the nature of the identification process is sensitive, complicated and time consuming, it is vital that the process continues in order to find answers on the fate of the missing. On this note, EULEX pleads to Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb communities to come forward by providing blood samples for DNA analysis to facilitate this important process.

EULEX has conducted or participated in 631 field operations to find, identify and re-associate human remains. 507 victims have been returned to their families.

Additionally, and in close coordination with the Ministry of Justice and the European Union Office in Kosovo, EULEX is contributing to the modernization of the Institute of Forensic Medicine with the aim of making it a professional and sustainable institution.