The measurement is the one of the earliest actions of human intellectual, through which the human managed to recognize and understand the world around him/her, to suits and use it for its own needs. Measurement is the action that follows the creative work of people from the first steps to the hard road to the perfection.
The first expressions for length and size measuring of thinks was said as; too much, a bit, big,, small, etc.
With creation of countries, the measurement become an important for the country. Thus, through administrative regulations and institutions, measurement has become part of the state organization, whose fundamental principle is to harmonize the state relations – make easier communication among people. To achieve this, the law obliges its citizens to use accurate measuring tools and dose accurate measurement.
The oldest and “legal” measuring unit preserved until today as an early document is believed to be Egyptian length standard unit called “royal cubit”, mentioned in a letter written around 3000 BC.
To us, the Albanian territory “legal measures” for sure are applied and have been implemented in the past through the state of law under which our territories were legislated by, such as the Roman Empire, Byzantine, Ottoman, etc. In a time span of more than 2000 years, there are two bright periods of Albanian society organization at its highest – an independent state, the Principality of Arber (1190-1266) and that of Skanderbeg (1443-1468). Certainly “legitimate measure” in these two principalities must have been regulated by a measure of law or regulation, but in the archives of the Institute of Legal Metrology of Kosovo, there is lack of evidence to testify this.
From an earlier national period of Illyrian states, there has been evidence of the existence and use of measuring weights, found in Austria. The word “liter”, which today is used for naming the auxiliary unit of volume, which once again to explain the etymology of the word dates of Illyrian origin. The word from Latin to form “libra” and from the Greek language in the form “litra”, has managed to survive until today. These data represent a testimony to the high level of organization of Illyrian states and their societies.
By the end of the XIX century in Kosovo, as part of the Ottoman Empire, the legal (official) units of measurement were: “endezeja” for length and “oka” for mass. In 1871, in this country, including Kosovo and Albania as well as the surrounding region, with law comes use of this metric system of measurement.
Regulation of the use of measures and measurement instruments by law, means state intervention in determining the physical and technical measures and measuring devices in order for their use to be uniform throughout the territory of administrative state. Moreover to ensure their accuracy during use in various fields such as: in manufacturing, construction, technological processes of production, trade, communication, health, cadaster, armed forces etc., and to take disciplinary action in cases of abuse.
The first state organization of the Kosovo Metrology (Institute for Measures and Precious Metals Control) was established by 09.01.1946 in Prizren and acted as such in the whole territory of Kosovo.
The task of this body has been:
– Testing and periodic sealing of measures and measuring instruments, as well as
– Testing and sealing of precious metal
This institution, although with difficulty, as any other institution of Kosovo underwent discrimination, dismissal from work and repression of the Serb occupiers, worked until the war started. In June 1999, with the departure of Serb forces from Kosovo, workers fired from this institution took the initiative to establish the Institute of Legal Metrology of Kosovo (with the permission of UNMIK, in that time) which will resume application metrology in Kosovo.
After the establishment of Kosovo institutions, this institution become part of Ministry of Trade and Industry, becoming a whole with scientific and industrial metrology. Now metrology in the Republic of Kosovo is organized as agency of metrology.
