Gjakova, 11 May, 2023
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated today in the inauguration of the Wastewater Plant in the Municipality of Gjakova, where he said that Kosovo is on the right track to ensure environmental protection and the advancement of important infrastructure projects.
This is the third plant that, as Prime Minister, I am inaugurating during the last two years, emphasized Prime Minister Kurti, as he added that development partners are partners, not only for financing such projects, but also for experience and best practices who bring them to us from their countries, to operate such plants, which are still new to us.
He also expressed his gratitude for the cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany and the Swiss Confederation, mentioning that for this project, the German Development Bank KfW has contributed 6 million euros, the Swiss government with 7.6 million euros, while the municipality has added 3.2 million euros.
Prime Minister Kurti further added that after the inauguration of the sewage plants in Prizren, Pejë and Gjakovë, the work will continue for the plant in Gjilan, which will cost 23 million euros, in Mitrovica, for an investment of 40 million and in Pristina, for the projects of the plant and the sewage network, which is worth about 160 million euros.
“With the plants in Pejë, Gjakovë and Prizren, we have managed to treat about 11% of polluted water at the country level, from the 1% we had at the beginning of the mandate, and the Government of Kosovo is committed to advancing this sector even more “, said the Prime Minister, adding further that we are ready to start the construction of three wastewater plants in Mitrovica, Gjilan and Ferizaj, together with the European Development Bank and thus, we aim to have 7 in the next 5 years headquarters with plants.
He said that the challenge of this project is the cost for the maintenance and operation of the plant and that one of the biggest expenses for the water supply companies is electricity. Therefore, the Government has engaged and allocated funds, as well as negotiating with development partners, to work on energy efficiency.
Thanking the staff of KRU Gjakova for their tireless work, who managed to complete this work, Prime Minister Kurti said that the Government of Kosovo intends to ensure that investments in the environment will be sustainable and benefit the entire community.
After the introductory words and the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Kurti saw the plant and the work carried out by this plant.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Your Excellency, Jorn Rohde, Ambassador of Germany,
Your Excellency, Thomas Kolly, Ambassador of Switzerland,
Honorable Liburn Aliu, Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure
Dear Ardian Gjini, Mayor of the Municipality of Gjakova,
Honorable Mimoza Kusari Lila, Head of the Parliamentary Group of the VETËVENDOSJE! Movement,
Honorable Hasan Krasniqi, Chief Executive Officer of the Gjakova Regional Water Supply Company,
Honorable Moritz Reme, Director of the Regional Office of the German Development Bank,
Honorable Laurent Torche, Deputy Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office,
Dear Getoar Mjeku, Deputy Minister of Economy,
Honorable Fjolla Lasku Hoti, Head of the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Gjakova,
This event today in the Municipality of Gjakova is a further step for the protection of our environment. This is the third plant that I inaugurated as Prime Minister in the last two years. Development partners are partners, not only for the financing of such projects, but also for the experience and best practices, which they bring to us from their countries, to operate such plants, which are still new to us.
For the realization of this project, we are grateful to our cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany and the Swiss Confederation. The German development bank KfW has contributed 6 million euros, the Swiss government 7.6 million euros, while the municipality has added 3.2 million euros to successfully implement one of the country’s most important initiatives for environmental protection.
With this investment, we have enabled the Drini i Bardhë River to be cleaned from its source in Radacë i Peja, also known as Kryedrin, to Vlashnje in Prizren, near Albania. This includes the three largest discharge points, but we are aware that we must continue the work including other municipalities. Consequently, in addition to protecting the environment and public health, we are also preventing the pollution of cross-border waters with Albania. This proves that Kosovo attaches importance to the responsibility as the first neighbor upstream of the Drin basin and has a regional dimension as well.
For our rivers to be clean, for water sources to be safe and for public health to be protected, work and investment are required. After the inauguration of the wastewater plants in Prizren and Pejë, this one in Gjakova is the third in a row. While we are continuing the work for the plant in Gjilan, which will cost 23 million euros, in Mitrovica, for an investment of 40 million and in Pristina, for the projects of the plant and the sewage network, which is worth about 160 million euros.
With the plants in Pejë, Gjakovë and Prizren, we have managed to treat about 11% of polluted water at the country level, from the 1% we had at the beginning of the mandate. The Government of Kosovo is committed to advancing this sector even more. Recently, we started the implementation of the project with the European Union, the German and the French government for the construction of the plant for the treatment of polluted water in the capital, that is, Pristina, together with the municipalities of Fushë Kosova, Obiliq and Graçanica.
We are ready to start the construction of three wastewater plants in Mitrovica, Gjilan and Ferizaj, together with the European Development Bank. Thus, we aim to have 7 headquarters with plants in the next 5 years. For us as the Government, this is important, because we meet the criteria for integration into the European Union, and thus, together, we prove that environmental protection is a priority.
The challenge of this project is the cost for the maintenance and operation of the plant. One of the biggest expenses for water utilities is electricity. For this reason, the Government has engaged and allocated funds, as well as negotiating with development partners, to work on energy efficiency. We plan to install solar panels to reduce the demand for thermal energy and at the same time, protect the environment and increase the financial performance of the companies. The Regional Water Companies also have a number of challenges, which we are trying to address together, to ensure quality water supply.
Environmental and water protection is a multidimensional challenge. To address this issue, the government is focusing on a key element, namely waste, which is currently the biggest polluter of surface and ground water. During two years, Kosovo has secured more than 100 million euros in grants from our European partners for wastewater treatment and waste management.
The rehabilitation and expansion of sanitary and municipal landfills at the level of Kosovo will begin very soon. The Government of Kosovo aims to ensure that investments in the environment will be sustainable and benefit the entire community. This is possible thanks to the contribution of our citizens, who, with their payments for the services they receive, help create a better environment for everyone. I thank the staff of KRU Gjakova who, with their tireless work, achieved the completion of this work.
Kosovo is on the right track to ensure the protection of the environment and the advancement of important infrastructure projects. We are committed to helping our country achieve its sustainability and development goals and to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to integration into the European Union. These joint efforts will help Kosovo to be a better country, a much better one for all of us.
Thank you and congratulations!
Last modified: May 11, 2023