Pacolli warns of suspension of competencies of municipalities that fail in waste management

The Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Fitore Pacolli, has warned that with the amendment to the law on waste management, the conditions will be created for the intervention of central institutions. At the press conference, Minister Pacolli also spoke about the fines of municipalities and regional companies, as well as the waste situation in the capital.

Pristina is leading the way for municipalities that are not managing the waste situation as they are obligated to, said the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Fitore Pacolli, on Wednesday.

In a press conference after the Government meeting, she said that the waste situation is serious and unacceptable.

According to Pacolli, the government does not have the authority to deal with waste collection in municipalities, so it will intervene by amending the law on waste management.

"The new law will have a special article, which will allow the Ministry to suspend the competencies of municipalities in cases where we have a failure of the duties that belong to the municipalities. In the case of Pristina, if we had the capacities, now we would not have expected this situation, as it is today, we would intervene immediately. But the law does not allow us initially, we will change the law", said Pacolli.

In addition to Pristina, Pacolli said that they have also fined the municipality of Istog, regional companies: "Pastrimi" in the capital, "Ambienti" in Peja, "Higjiena" in Deçan, as well as private companies and citizens.

An even more difficult situation with waste, according to the minister, is in the northern municipalities due to the illegal landfill in Zvecan.

"The location for the north has been determined and thanks to EU investment, a new landfill with the highest standards in Kosovo has been prepared. After meetings with the EU Office, we have agreed in principle that it will open soon and that the Ministry will eliminate the current illegal landfill and build a park in that area."

also Arberi 10 o. before Pacolli: Pristina leads in mismanagement of waste issue

Previously, the government cabinet approved the draft annual report on the State of the Environment in Kosovo for the past year.

The government has also approved draft laws for the ratification of three agreements affecting justice issues between Kosovo and Sweden, as well as one with Belgium.

The decisions for the expropriation of properties in Prizren, Klina and Lipjan have also been approved, while over 1 million and 489 thousand euros have been allocated for the implementation of the project "Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings in Prizren".