Air pollution in Kosovo remains at alarming levels, with no visible improvement, posing a serious and growing threat to public health, experts warn.
Air pollution specialist Ilir Morina stressed that failure to implement existing legislation and environmental projects has left Kosovo without functional air-quality regulations, while institutions continue to ignore cooperation with experts.
Severe Health Consequences
According to Morina, the consequences are particularly devastating for children and young people.
“For three to four years, no government institution has invited professors or experts to a single meeting. We teach, conduct studies, prepare theses, and publish scientific research — yet no one uses this data as a basis for policy,” Morina said.
He described the situation as a disaster for Kosovo’s future, highlighting that 3,600 young people have been identified with cancer and other life-threatening diseases in a country of just 1.6 million inhabitants.
“We are dying, aging as a population, birth rates are falling, young people are leaving Kosovo, and the cost of living is rising. I fear to imagine where we will be by 2030,” he warned.
Lack of Implementation, Not Resources
Morina emphasized that Kosovo does not lack laws, strategies, funding, or donor support, but rather political will and implementation.
He noted that the adoption of a new Air Law rendered previous regulations invalid, leaving Kosovo without any active air-quality by-laws.
“We have EU-aligned legislation, strategies, and action plans. We even have funding. But for years, no environmental projects have been discussed or implemented,” he said.
Morina underlined that air filtration systems are just as critical as road infrastructure, warning that without a healthy environment, there can be no healthy population.
Doctors Confirm Rising Illness Among Children
Pediatrician Gëzim Krasniqi confirmed that air pollution is directly contributing to a sharp rise in respiratory diseases, especially among children.
“Air pollution has long-term effects on everyone, but children are the most vulnerable. Respiratory diseases are increasing daily, and polluted air significantly worsens these conditions,” Krasniqi stated.
He added that while respiratory illnesses are increasing globally, Kosovo stands out because air-quality parameters remain far outside normal limits.
“We are seeing a daily increase in pediatric patients. Institutions must take continuous and urgent action to improve air-quality parameters wherever possible,” he said.
A Looming Public Health Crisis
Experts warn that without serious institutional engagement, air pollution will continue to rank Kosovo among the countries with the highest public health risks, potentially leading to a deep and long-term health crisis.
They urge newly elected lawmakers and future governments to treat environmental protection and public health as immediate national priorities, stressing that inaction is knowingly pushing the country toward a health catastrophe.
