Traffic accidents

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The offense Court in Vushtrri municipality received 21 subjects for traffic violation that Blerim Kasumi, a 21-year-old had committed. The head of this court, Rifat Bllata, confirmed that on May 7, 2012 this institution sent to the Court a decision, which prevented Mr Kasumi to drive his car for five months.  But, Kosovo Police did not enforce this decision. On September 10, Blerim Kasumi killed while driving a 17-year-old youngster named Fatlum Bunjaku. The perpetrator of this act is the son of one of the most known businessmen of Vushtrria. The wife of the Police Commander in Vushtrria is employed in a business owned by Blerim’s father.

Research conducted by the Justice in Kosovo team showed that Blerim Kasumi had injured Fatlum Bunjaku, while driving. The injuries were of a major nature and caused instant death. The research revealed that the court ordered to confiscate the driving license of the Blerim Kasumi, but it was found that the authorities within the police force did not execute the court order.

Upon meticulous investigations on the case, Justice in Kosovo found out that this was not the only accident caused by Blerim Krasniqi. The data obtained during the investigations showed that Krasniqi has had 29 traffic fines for various violations in traffic. It was found that some of these violations were taken to the court.

The program showed that his criminal file includes four accidents, assault to police officers and repeated instances of offenses. According to information obtained from the police, he is reoffended in traffic violation.

The head of Offense Court in Vushtrri, Rifat Bllata said that the suspect Blerim Kasumi is a notorious in the court because of a large number of cases associated with his behaviour in traffic.

“Since 2010, Kasumi has 21 subjects for traffic violations,” Mr. Bllata said. “Among these subjects only four are left untried, while 17 of them are settled by judicial decisions,” he added.

Meanwhile, officials in the Police Station in Vushtrri confirmed the receipt of orders. “However, priority was given to the old cases that awaiting within the police force. We received a numerous of orders and this is why we have not got enough time to engage with cases of Mr. Kasumi,” said Abdylaziz Hoxha, commander of Police in Vushtrri. 

Mr. Hoxha was not aware of the fact that one of the orders concerning Mr. Kasumi explicitly stated that his driver’s license ought to be confiscated. Justice in Kosovo contacted the family of Blerim Kasumi. Family members have constantly refused to provide a statement in relation to the case with the deceased youngster. However, the father of the suspect Blerim Kasumi has written a letter to the Justice in Kosovo team expressing his sorrow and sadness to the Bunjaku family.The letter of Fevzi Kasumi, father of Blerim Kasumi reads as follows:

“This is and will always be the most terrible thing that Bunjaku family experienced. My family and I never cease to feel the pain for the family of the victim. Therefore, I cannot talk more about this. As journalists, it is your job to verify information from the competent authorities,”

Justice in Kosovo provided statistics shedding light on the number of driving licenses that have been confiscated in the period from2002 to 2012.

Since 2002, Kosovo counts 1, 618 people who have lost their life in traffic as well as 35,600 other who has been injured. The grand total of the accidents in the country during this period amounts to 150, 000 accidents.

Kosovo Police officials said that this number of accidents is smaller when compared to other countries in the region.

“These figures are worrisome for the Kosovo Police. We have undertaken a series of actions to prevent fatal accidents. Based on the data from 2009 we have decreased number of fatal accidents in traffic,” said police spokesperson, Baki Kelani.

In 2008, Kosovo Assembly approved the new traffic law, which enables the prosecution authorities to confiscate the driving license of offenders. Five years since this law entered into force and has allegedly been implemented; police and courts authorities have not confiscated any driving license.

Biljana Rexhiq, head of High Court for Minor Offenses said for Justice in Kosovo that she was not informed that any driving license had been confiscated.