ANNUAL REPORT OF NPM 2019 _______________________________________________________________________________________ VI. Visit to Prishtina International Airport “Adem Jashari”85 During the reporting period, the NPM has, under the observation of experts of the Council of Europe, on 7 May 2019 visited Prishtina International Airport “Adem Jashari”. The purpose of the visit was to make a general assessment on whether the rights of foreigners, who based on the Law on Foreigners and other relevant laws cannot enter the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, who are subject to return to their countries of origin or are temporarily held in the detention facilities at the Prishtina International Airport (PIA), are respected. Detention facilities at PIA entry point Foreigners who want to cross the border of the Republic of Kosovo but do not meet the legal criteria, and the air carrier is unable to make their immediate return, are held in separate facilities at PIA, for up to 72 hours. These facilities are also known as detention facilities at the entry point in airports. During the NPM's visit to PIA, there were no foreigners accommodated in these facilities. Regarding the accommodation conditions in these facilities, the NPM has noted that they provide good accommodation conditions, with sufficient inventory for personal belongings, cleanliness at an adequate level, toilets supplied with toiletries, showers at very good condition and with enough artificial light. As far as contacts with the outside world are concerned, foreigners have access to the internet through “Wi-Fi”. With regard to medical services, the NPM has observed that PIA’s medical personnel provides 24 hours medical services for the personnel, detainees and other travellers. Information on the legal status and their rights During the visit, the NPM observed that in rooms accommodating foreigners who cannot cross the border of the Republic of Kosovo, there is no information posted on whom, and how, they can address if they have complaints regarding treatment by police officers or if they want to know about their legal status and their rights. Based on this, the NPM, through its post-visit recommendation report, recommended the following to the competent authorities: • Detention facilities at PIA entry points should be provided with relevant information in various languages, through which foreigners are informed of their rights, their legal status, as well as the right to contact human rights defence mechanisms. • The NPM should be informed of cases where foreigners are accommodated at entry points for detention in PIA and of cases of expulsion from the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. On 11 December 2019, the NPM, through official email, requested the competent officers of the Kosovo Border Police to be informed of the progress made in implementing the above recommendations. Despite 85 Report with recommendations of the NPM regarding the visit to Prishtina International Airport, published on 7 May 2019. For more information, see: https://www.oik-rks.org/en/2019/05/08/report-with-recommendations-of-the-npm-regarding-the-visits-tothe-border-crossing-point-of-pristina-international-airports/. 37