Prishtina, 14 August, 2024
Dear Deputy Primers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
This week we are facing extremely high temperatures again. Our Ministry of Health last night, based on the recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health, has taken some safeguards for citizens’ health. They include:
– Recommendation to change working schedules to avoid jobs in the hottest hours of the day, from 11:00 to 4pm;
– applying a flexible work schedule, which means allowing workers to start work earlier in the morning or work from home when possible;
– pregnant women to be released from work during peak hours of heat from 11:00 – 16:00, or work from home;
– Prohibition of work for citizens affected by chronic illnesses within the same schedule, from 11:00 – 16:00, or again work from home;
– Prohibition of works in the construction sector, which are exposed in the sun between 11:00-16: 00;
– providing medical examinations for employees showing signs of heat stress and exposed to extreme heat;
– Meanwhile farmers and farmers and workers in these sectors plan their development early or late in the morning to avoid exposure to the high heat.
I urge all citizens to adhere to the recommendations of the health institutions and avoid the large heat. Whereas I invite public institutions and private businesses to strictly implement these recommendations that are in the service of protecting the health and safety of workers.
High temperatures also increase the risk of fires and their rapid spread. In the face of this it is extremely important for the human factor to be a factor in extinguishing fires, and no because of them. Intentional or negligent arson in addition to being criminal offenses and punished by law, they have great potential of human tragedies and immeasurable environmental consequences. In this confrontation, our country, our society, has already experienced a painful loss the week we left behind. Firefighter Sefadin Osmanaj lost his life in the line of duty. Our condolences to the Osmanaj family are our most vocal appeal against arson and for cooperation with the institutions of the country in early identification and immediate response in the case of outdoor fires.
On the level of seriousness of the risk of fires in these hot summer days and inter-institutional cooperation in their management and extinction, we spoke yesterday a consulting and coordinating meeting with KFOR Commander Özkan Ulutaş. KFOR assistance is very important in this issue. With Commander Ulutaş, we also discussed the opening of the main bridge over Ibar in Mitrovica, which we consider to be a fair, necessary and useful thing, for all. We have welcomed the preliminary reports of the bridge sustainability assessment, the relevant results of these reports that we have immediately shared with Commander KFOR, General Ulutaş and his team, in the spirit of continuous consultations and coordination. The Government of the Republic of Kosovo, and I, as Prime Minister, deeply believe that freedom of movement and rule of law on the one hand, as well as peace and security on the other hand are possible together and appropriate for the country, society and the state, citizens and communities. We will continue consulting and coordinating with our partners. Opening the bridge is not against anyone, much less our partners.
Kosovo is a normal state, and its bridges should be normal which means open.
Today, at the 216th meeting of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, we will make some important decisions with a direct impact on the lives of our citizens.
From the package of economic resurrection, we will share 12.3 million euros for the areas we have priority, namely health, education, and public enterprises.
For health, we will divide 1.7 million euros for the purchase of new equipment and functionalization of Polyclinic in Podujeva.
For education we will divide 6.5 million euros to complete the amount needed to subsidize textbooks and school materials. So, this year we will subsidize textbooks for school students. Our commitment to providing equal and accessible education for all is steadfast.
For public enterprises, however, we will divide 4 million euros dedicated to support for Trepca, in order to overcome the current crisis where the enterprise has failed to secure salaries from the issuing. There seems to be too many workers on the ground for the few ores extracted from the underground.
Thank you.
Last modified: August 15, 2024