Criticism for non-spending of the budget, the municipality of Pristina is justified by the pandemic

The municipality of Pristina has spent only 9 million euros for capital investments this year, out of 49 million euros available for this category.

For this, the municipal executive on Tuesday faced criticism from the opposition at the session of the Municipal Assembly of the capital during the examination of the financial report for the third quarter.

In the session which was held electronically due to the risk of the COVID-19 virus, the chairman Shpend Ahmeti was present when the pandemic was discussed, but he did not participate in the discussion of the findings of this report.

Vice President Muhedin Nushi justified the poor performance in budget spending with the consequences of the pandemic. "The delay in approving the budget at the level of the Republic has caused problems. We had problems when the procurement was not functional. Most of the municipalities will have a surplus at the end of the year", said Nushi.

Although the expenses for capital investments are one million euros more compared to the third quarter of last year, the LDK has assessed this value as insufficient.

also Arberi 15 August 2020 Ahmeti is criticized for the low level of expenses in capital investments

"With this spending trend, at least 30 million euros will be carried over for the next year, and this is unacceptable for the municipality, because schools could be built. It is necessary to work more and use the budget of the municipality", said the chairman of the group of advisers of the LDK, Halim Halimi.

Vetëvendosje movement and PDK have said that not spending the budget has become a practice every year and that it has nothing to do with the pandemic.

"We have the directorate of agriculture has not spent even a single cent, which is worrying that they are not working as much as they should, it is not the first time and the pandemic is not the reason, declared Mirsad Vitia, municipal councilor of the LVV.

"This testifies to a lack of vision and non-seriousness of this government to realize the budget in the best possible way. If there are so many directors and so little realization, why do they exist? They should be closed then", said Leotrim Retkoceri, municipal councilor of the PDK.

also Arberi 3 August 2024 The municipality of Pristina spent over 29 million euros from the budget in the period April-June

Poor Municipality of Pristina is also with its own income. In the pandemic during July, August and September of this year, citizens paid less property tax, waste bills, causing revenues to fall by 1 million and 300 thousand euros.

The municipality had more than 120 million euros in its coffers this year, of which more than 27 million euros was carried over from the non-realization of projects in previous years.