Residents of Kosovo’s capital, Prishtina, were forced on Monday to find alternative solutions in the absence of public transport, Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) reports.
The outgoing Government and municipal officials have spent months exchanging accusations over the municipality’s complicated financial situation. But one thing is clear: the Municipality of Prishtina approved its 2025 budget late, and as a result, the Ministry of Finance drafted its own version. The rest is history…
The only buses seen in the capital today were those operating routes to Fushë Kosovë or Obiliq, the municipalities adjacent to Prishtina.
Prishtina’s mayor, Përparim Rama, joined the protest in front of the Government building on November 24 together with private public-transport operators, accusing the executive of “insufficient funds,” which he claimed were not enough to fulfill obligations to the operators.
Behind Rama, several individuals were seen holding signs reading: “Seven months without salaries.”
On the other hand, Acting Minister of Finance Hekuran Murati stated a day earlier that the State Treasury had already allocated Prishtina’s December budget last Friday to cover essential services, such as electricity.
“However, at the end of the day, the Treasury informed me that despite the allocation, the municipal staff had already finished their working hours and had not processed a single payment, claiming ‘we’ll do it on Monday,’” Murati said in a Facebook post.
Last week, the Kosovo Assembly had one final opportunity to vote on four important draft laws before it was dissolved and new elections were scheduled.
Among the four draft laws was the one approving the budget for three municipalities: Prishtina, Gjilan, and Zubin Potok. Despite calls from Lëvizja Vetëvendosje the party currently leading the outgoing Government other parties showed no willingness to approve these documents.
As a result, the crisis now risks deepening further.
