MESP fines Pristina 10,000 euros for waste, warns of measures against municipalities and companies
tidings
Express Newspaper
28/10/2026 9:38
The Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure has imposed two fines of a total of 10,000 euros on the Municipality of Pristina for not fulfilling legal obligations in waste management. Minister Fitore Pacolli has announced that fines have also been imposed on other municipalities and regional waste companies, due to the serious situation with waste in some parts of the country.
Pacolli has said that the situation poses a risk to the environment and public health, criticizing especially the Municipality of Pristina for waste management and the public enterprise “Cleaning”.
“We inform you about the emergency and strategic steps that we are taking, seeing the serious and unacceptable situation with waste that has taken over many parts of our country. This situation represents a real danger to the environment and a constant risk to public health. As you have seen, some municipalities do a good job in collecting waste, while another part fails to fulfill the duties that are due to them by law. This is unfortunately led by the municipality of Pristina, which as The capital also has the largest number of residents, but the municipality of Pristina, in addition to lacking the will to carry out its obligations, is also mismanaging the public enterprise “Cleaning”. Before this situation, the government cannot stand idly by when an emergency situation arises, even after our powers are limited in terms of waste management. To protect public health, the ministry has undertaken dozens of inspection actions, making it clear that we will not tolerate mismanagement at any level,” she said.
The minister has announced that fines have also been imposed on the Municipality of Istog and regional waste companies in Pristina, Pejë and Deçan.
“Precisely for this reason, in recent days we have imposed fines on those who failed to fulfill their legal duties. Specifically, we have punished the municipality of Pristina with two fines, i.e. twice of 5,000 euros, the municipality of Istog with 5,000 euros, the regional company of Pristina “Pastrimi” with 2,000 euros, the regional company “Ambienti” in Peja with two fines, one of 5,000 euros and one of 2,000 euros, as well as the “Hygiene” company in Deçan with 2,000 euros. In addition to fines against municipalities, we have fined a large number of unscrupulous citizens who continue to throw waste in places where it is not allowed. We invite every citizen to send their waste to landfills legal in their regions, which are open every Saturday,” she said.
Pacolli said that the situation with the waste is even more difficult in the northern municipalities, while he announced that the location for the construction of a new landfill has been designated for this part, in cooperation with the European Union.
“The situation in the municipalities of the north is more difficult. The location has been determined for the north and thanks to the cooperation with the EU, the new landfill will be built”, she said.
