Religion in Kosovo

Kosovo's Constitution and Law No.02/L-31 protect freedom of religion and belief, including the freedom to worship publicly or privately, teach, practice, observe religious customs, belong to a community, change belief or have no religion. No one may be forced to participate in worship, join a religious community or disclose a belief. Restrictions require a legal basis connected to public safety or order, health, or the rights of other people. Religious communities are organized groups that manage worship, clergy, internal rules, education and charitable activities. They remain separate from public authorities and may establish their own leadership, training, international contacts and welfare work. There is no nationwide fee for worship. Local communities may rely on voluntary contributions and their own practices. Religious institutions can receive tax or fee exemptions for direct worship, charity, welfare and seminary activities. Clergy may receive social and health insurance under the applicable law, but religious communities have no general entitlement to state funding. Kosovo's legal framework names five historical communities. They are the Islamic Community of Kosovo, Bashkësia Islame e Kosovës, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Jewish community and the Evangelical Church. The Bashkësia Islame e Kosovës is the main Sunni structure. Tarikate, or Sufi brotherhoods, are active but do not have the same clearly defined legal status. Registration as a non-governmental organization can provide a functional legal-person alternative without granting equivalent religious-community status. The Serbian Orthodox Church and the Diocese of Raška-Prizren are central religious and cultural institutions for the Serbian community. The Catholic Diocese of Prizren-Prishtina, Evangelical Protestant communities and the Jewish community also operate in Kosovo. The 2024 population data record Islam at approximately 93.5 percent, with Orthodox and Catholic communities forming smaller groups. Census categories do not fully represent religious pluralism. Only some communities are listed separately, other groups are placed under a general category, and the Bashkësia e Tarikateve të Kosovës cannot be selected separately. Participation and reporting also differ across municipalities, including the four northern municipalities, so national figures do not describe every local setting. Places of worship such as a xhami, meaning mosque, kishë, meaning church, manastir, meaning monastery, or teqe, meaning Sufi lodge, are protected from interference. Access is generally open to pilgrims and guests, but a community may regulate access under its internal self-administration. A court order is required for interference based on illegal activity or an immediate danger to life or health. Religious counselling is provided for in hospitals, prisons and other detention settings and social-care institutions. Public schools may not teach a religion or promote a particular religion through propaganda. Religious communities may establish religious schools under the applicable law, and religious education is voluntary. Parents or guardians decide religious and ethical guidance for minors, provided that the child's development and health are not harmed. Theology studies fall under higher-education rules. Rules and practice concerning head coverings remain contested. The Ombudsperson's 2025 report recorded two exclusions from education but does not establish a universal rule that headscarves are always permitted or always prohibited. Kosovo recognizes paid public holidays for the first day of Bajrami i Vogël, or Eid al-Fitr, the first day of Bajrami i Madh or Kurban Bajram, or Eid al-Adha, Catholic Christmas on 25 December, Orthodox Christmas on 7 January, and the respective Catholic and Orthodox Easter Monday. When a listed holiday falls on a weekend, the following working day is used. Work performed on a public holiday gives the employee one and a half days off or the corresponding monetary value. Islamic holiday dates change annually because they follow the lunar calendar, so the Ministry of Internal Affairs calendar should be checked for exact dates. Birth, marriage and death remain matters of civil status handled by the Civil Registration Agency and municipal civil-status offices. A religious ceremony does not replace civil registration. Marriage registration takes place through the relevant municipality according to residence and requires the applicable documents and witnesses. No religious affiliation is required. Burial may be arranged through the municipality, the responsible cemetery service or a local religious community, and religious rites are permitted. Cemetery plans are prepared in cooperation with religious communities. In Prishtina, burial notification normally must be submitted at least ten hours beforehand. The applicable tariff may allow a waiver. There is no nationwide tariff for religious rites. Kosovo also has a legal duty to maintain open, regular and transparent dialogue with religious communities. The Community Consultative Council under the President brings together communities, government representatives, the President's Office and agencies, and a 2026 interfaith roundtable included Islamic, Catholic, Evangelical and Serbian Orthodox representatives. Religious heritage receives separate state protection. Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries in Special Protective Zones receive protection involving the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Kosovo Council for Cultural Heritage, municipalities and the Implementation and Monitoring Council. These heritage rules protect particular sites and do not regulate ordinary religious practice across Kosovo. A comprehensive law on registration and legal status remained unresolved. The Government-approved Draft Law No.07/L-037 had not been adopted by the Assembly by the end of 2025, and the Ombudsperson called in 2026 for a clearer system.