The Recent Incident in Ferizaj: A Call to Action Against Hate Crime

The recent attack in Ferizaj, where two underage girls and two men from the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities were brutally stabbed, has shaken our society to its core. This act of violence cannot and must not be tolerated. Moreover, its true nature must not be downplayed. According to initial reports, the attacker targeted random passersby, yet all the victims belong to these minority communities. Such a pattern suggests something far deeper and more alarming: an ethnically motivated hate crime.

Authorities must accurately classify this act. Every life matters, and the motivation behind this crime must be uncovered and punished accordingly. The Mayor of Ferizaj confirmed the attacker was apprehended, but it is essential to investigate his motives thoroughly. When “random” victims all belong to a single ethnic group, we must ask why.

One of the victims was just 10 years old, an innocent child on her way home from a local shop. While her life is fortunately not in immediate danger, her condition remains delicate. She is an innocent victim now suffering due to someone’s twisted, hateful motives. This raises hard questions: Was she attacked because of her ethnicity? Were these assaults premeditated, calculated to target the most vulnerable members of our communities?

This is not the first hate crime targeting the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities in our society. For a country so small, we are plagued by far too many incidents fueled by ethnic prejudice and deep-seated intolerance. History has shown that Roma and other communities have been systematically marginalized, kept in degrading conditions to sustain systems of social exploitation. It is unconscionable that this persists today—where communities are scapegoated as outlets for anger and hate. In a democratic, modern society like Kosovo, not every citizen feels safe, valued, or respected.

This brutal act is a wake-up call. It raises urgent questions about the safety, coexistence, and dignity of all members of this multiethnic state. Our authorities must act with urgency to address the root causes of this violence. This is not an isolated event; it is a symptom of a deep societal illness. The longer we tolerate this hatred, the further we slip into a dark place where prejudice thrives, and violence becomes normalized.

Enough is enough!