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By:
Shaban Maxharraj
- June 11, 2026 08:00
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The conservation and restoration of the National Library of Kosovo is still far from being completed, while what was announced two days ago has happened: the tender has been returned for re-evaluation. The Public Procurement Review Body has annulled the notification of the decision of the Ministry of Culture through which the entire procurement procedure was annulled when it was found that the economic operator had not met the technical and professional capacity requirement.
The Ministry of Culture has been unsuccessful in its tender for the complete restoration of the National Library of Kosovo building. After the procedure was canceled, the Public Procurement Review Body has returned this case for re-evaluation.
The "fight" for the 21 million euro tender is long and has many chapters. The next one will be the re-evaluation. After all, the process is on the verge of a year since the public call for this project, the most ambitious in the restoration of a cultural heritage building and also for the maintenance of a central cultural institution, was opened.
“The complaint of EO LIMITPROJECT SH.PK with no. 2026/0240, dated 15/04/2026, regarding the procurement activity 'Work for the implementation of the detailed project [main implementer], of architecture and engineering, for the conservation and restoration of the National Library of Kosovo, in Pristina, in the Republic of Kosovo, with procurement number 207-25- 7189-5-1-1 is approved as grounded”, it is written in the first point of the decision of the PRB that had Vedat Poterqoin as the chairman of the review panel. In the next point, the Public Procurement Review Body has annulled the notification of the decision of the Ministry of Culture through which the entire procurement procedure was annulled.
"Within 10 days, the CA must inform the PRB of all actions taken regarding this procurement activity; otherwise, the PRB has the right to take measures against the CA for non-compliance with the decision as provided for in the provisions of Article 131 of the LPP," it is written in the third point of the decision.
It took the Ministry of Culture a long time to issue the announcement of the cancellation of the process.
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The 21-million tender for the restoration of the Library is facing re-evaluation
"The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports cancels the procurement activity entitled: 'Work for the implementation of the detailed project [main implementer], of architecture and engineering, for the conservation and restoration of the National Library of Kosovo, in Pristina, in the Republic of Kosovo'", the Ministry of Culture announced in early April about the process that began in August last year.
The group of companies that bid are "Limitproject SH.PK", "Rinesa SH.PK", "Delta - CCD SH.PK" and "Alping SH.PK". They offered to do the restoration for 21 million 956 thousand 811 euros.
According to the reasoning of the decision of the Ministry of Culture, after evaluating the bid, the commission found that the economic operator did not meet the requirement of technical professional capacity. According to the MCYS, it was necessary to provide evidence of competence for sufficient experience in the relevant sector and, for this purpose, it was necessary to prove that during the past three years it has implemented architectural and engineering contracts for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage assets in the amount of at least 5 million euros. It was also required to provide evidence of work for the implementation of detailed architectural and engineering projects for the construction or renovation of public buildings in the amount of at least 10 million euros.
"For each member of the group of economic operators, the financial value of similar projects was calculated and, after evaluation, it failed to meet the financial value of 5 million euros... The group of economic operators has provided evidence for this criterion in lists of contracts, similar contracts that reach a total value of 4 million and 925 thousand euros," it is written in the reasoning of the decision.
Also, according to the reasoning, it appears that the 10 million criterion has not been met, as the group of economic operators has brought evidence amounting to 6 million and 651 thousand euros.
"We have made that decision, but now let's see how the procedure will go, as there may be complaints," the Ministry of Culture told KOHA at the time.
All of the findings of the MCYS were opposed by "Limitproject LLC" and the PRB decided to grant this economic operator the right.
"The Review Panel, after reviewing all the facts and arguments, has concluded that the Contracting Authority during the development of this procurement activity has not respected the legal provisions of the LPP, therefore it orders the CA that during the re-evaluation of this procurement activity, it fully adheres to the legal provisions of the LPP", after the case files have been reviewed. According to the PRB, the finding of the Ministry of Culture on the financial value of the works performed is unsustainable.
According to the Public Procurement Review Body, the bank's support for economic operators is also clear and unconditional.
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The complaint turns the process for the 22-million-euro restoration of the Library into a "game"
In April, the director of the National Library of Kosovo, Blerina Rogova-Gaxha, said that the tender had been cancelled because the consortium of economic operators, as the only applicant in the tender, did not meet the selection criteria, criteria announced in the public tender dossier by the Ministry.
"The intervention is necessary, however, given the complexity of the object and its status as cultural heritage under permanent protection, the conservation and renovation process requires a careful, responsible approach based on the highest professional standards, with the aim of preserving the authenticity and identity of the building," she said.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Library of Kosovo, academic Bardh Rugova, had said that it is not necessary to do anything quickly.
"Some of today's problems are a consequence of what was done quickly and quickly at the beginning. However, we hope that the work will be completed as successfully as possible," Rugova had said.
The building of the National Library of Kosovo, designed by the Croatian architect Andrija Mutnjaković, has been in operation since 1982. On 26 May 1982, the National Library of Kosovo began work in the then new building, symbolizing it with academician Esad Mekuli as the first reader. The solemn inauguration of this facility took place on 25 November 1982, on Library Day.
The library is built in a four-story structure, with a total area of 16,500 square meters, of which 13,500 square meters are usable areas.
"The building is characterized by a composition of domes wrapped in a steel skeletal membrane, which in combination with zenithal lighting through the domes provides abundant lighting and protection from excessive insulation. This structure is designed to provide optimal conditions for the storage and access to the library's large holdings," the institution's website states.
Croatian architect Andrija Mutnjakovic was present at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the KCB in November 2024. In a presentation and conversation with architecture students at the Modelarium of the Faculty of Architecture, academician Mutnjakovic said that he has worked on all projects with the human being in mind. He said about the Library that it was not an accidental vision.
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First attempt at 22 million euro restoration of the Library fails
"Europe is small and has its own architectural identity. Our part of Europe is based on Byzantine architecture. There is a long tradition of Byzantine forms. Natural light is meant to be universal. Another aspect is in the eternal connection with nature," Mutnjakovic said.
Regarding interventions at the National Library of Kosovo, one of the most recent interventions was in 2020, when the roof was insulated. With nearly 200 thousand euros, a long-standing problem was remedied.
