-
By:
Shaban Maxharraj
- 15 January 2021 00:09
- Share to:
It is practically a museum, but the state has never treated it as such. The Qerkezi family house keeps the belongings of Ferdonije Qerkezi's four sons and husband kidnapped by Serbian forces in March 1999.
Accompanied by the then Prime Minister of Kosovo, Agim Çeku, on April 27, 2007, the former Minister of Culture, Astrit Haraqia, unveiled the commemorative plaque declaring the house a museum.
Since then, the Ministry of Culture has not taken care of this house. The state officially protects it as part of cultural heritage as it is on the List of cultural heritage for temporary protection. It is marked as "Historical Museum of the year '99". Even the Municipality of Gjakova has not taken care of the maintenance of the exhibits, despite the declarations and signed memoranda.
When at the beginning of the week water flooded the ground floor, damaging the exhibits that have been stored for almost 21 years, Ferdonije Qerkezi asked for help.
"Now we have to slowly clean it. The institutions have visited me, but they have not offered me anything for house maintenance", said Qerkezi on Monday.
also
Flooding in the house-museum of the Qerkezi family, the state protects it with letters
After this case, private initiatives are launched to help him with money for cleaning the house.
Journalist Edita Doli together with "Bashkimi Projekt" offered assistance to Ferdonije Qerkezi.
"We have been in constant contact with mother Ferdonije. We will stay close to her every request, be it for health requests or home renovation", she said.
But since it is protected as a monument, any intervention needs approval from cultural heritage institutions. Doli says that the goal is to come to the aid of Qerkezi and for each action they will agree with the institutions.
"Inside the house, nothing will be touched. A veranda will be created where mother Ferdonije will cook, but always in accordance with what is allowed", she said.
The Ministry of Culture has received a report about the flooding of the ground floor of the house. While there is no deadline for when maintenance can intervene, they complain that procurement procedures are a problem in themselves.
"We requested a more detailed report from the Regional Center of Cultural Heritage in Gjakova. We will react as soon as possible", said Vjollca Aliu, director of the Department of Cultural Heritage in the Ministry of Culture.
According to her, even the simplest interventions in this house must be approved by cultural heritage institutions.
also
The image of Ferdonije Qerkezi's reception as a memorial mural and call for justice
"We will repeat the request that in such cases we can act through the negotiation procedure, such cases are emergencies and we must act quickly", she said, referring to the Public Procurement Law that requires public tendering in order to engages a company to perform work.
Through a communiqué, the Municipality of Gjakova has warned that it will come to the aid of Ferdonije Qerkezi.
