Kosovo Parliament votes for gambling suspension

The Parliament of Kosovo has voted  to suspend all forms of gambling activities in the country. The move to ban gambling in Kosovo comes after two murders linked to casinos. Avdullah Hoti, leader in parliament of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), proposed the motion in an extraordinary parliamentary session. The initiative was backed by 74 MPs and political parties in the chamber were all in favour of it.

The police shut down gambling centres all over the territory after the vote, which is pending an outright ban. “The first point is for the government to initiate legal procedures to suspend the law [allowing gambling]… and bring in a law banning games of chance within 30 days,” Hoti said.

One of the victims worked at a gambling centre in Suhareka, while the other was a casino employee in Lipjan. “We can’t allow casinos that feed crime and gambling to determine the fate of individuals and our families,” Hoti said.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj voiced his support and said: “In the face of this situation, we will not allow these venues to be areas of crime that claim people’s lives. The government and security mechanisms are already mobilized to react and prevent further degradation [of the situation],” Balkan InSight reported.