After the suspension of services by the public waste management company KRM “Pastrimi,” various parts of the capital city have been left in chaos, with garbage piling up and causing foul odors and frustration among residents. On Wednesday, the Municipality of Prishtina responded by engaging a private operator, announcing that this may be a temporary solution in the coming days as well.
The garbage crisis prompted late-night intervention by the Municipality on Wednesday but not with “Pastrimi.”
Since “Pastrimi” halted services within the territory of Prishtina, a private waste management company was deployed last night.
And this is how the municipality plans to proceed in the days ahead.
“It’s a private company contracted by the Municipality of Prishtina for similar services. Given the situation we’ve faced both due to public health concerns and the negative image created yesterday by ‘Pastrimi’ it was necessary to hire a company at least for yesterday and today. We’ll see what the next alternative will be starting tomorrow,” said Bekim Brestovci, Director of Public Services, for RTV Dukagjini.
Last night, eight trucks operated by this company were deployed, though the Municipality did not reveal the name of the company or how much this solution has cost the public budget.
When asked whether the municipality plans to make this a long-term solution until a final decision is made, Brestovci implied it may be the only viable option.
“We cannot fall prey to any form of blackmail. We cannot allow public health to be compromised not under any circumstance. We will take all necessary steps, in full compliance with the law. We don’t know yet how much it cost; this is handled by the contract manager, and we expect a report sometime next week,” Brestovci added.
Areas in the city center where the private company operated last night were in good condition this morning, but many neighborhoods still remain problematic.
Wednesday marked the day when “Pastrimi” halted its services due to a financial crisis, which the company claims stemmed from the Municipality’s failure to pay its financial obligations since the beginning of the year.
