The conservation and restoration of the object of the National Library of Kosovo is still far from the work on the ground as far as what was announced two days ago is likely: the tender has been returned to re-evaluation. The Public Procurement Review Body has canceled the notification of the decision of the Ministry of Culture through which the entire procurement procedure was canceled when it was determined that the economic operator had not met the requirement of professional technical capacity
The Ministry of Culture has been successful with the tender for the complete restoration of the building of the National Library of Kosovo. After canceling the procedure, the Public Procurement Review Body has returned this case to re-evaluation.
The “fight” for the tender of 21 million euros is long and multi-chaptered. Next will be the revaluation. Right after the process is on the verge of a year since the public call for this project was opened, the most ambitious in the restoration of a building of cultural heritage and also for the maintenance of a central institution of culture.
“The complaint of EO LIMITPROJECT SH.PK with No. 2026/0240, dated 04/15/2026, related to the procurement activity ‘Work for the implementation of the detailed project (main implementer), of architecture and engineering, for the conservation and restoration of the National Library of Kosovo, in Pristina, in the Republic of Kosovo, with procurement number 207-25- 7189-5-1-1”, it is written in the first point of the PRB decision that Vedat Poterqoin was the chairman of the review panel. In the next point, the Public Procurement Review Body canceled the notification of the decision of the Ministry of Culture through which the entire procurement procedure was cancelled.
“Within 10 days, the CA must inform the PRB about all the actions taken regarding this procurement activity, otherwise, the PRB has the right to take measures against the CA for non-compliance with the decision as provided by the provisions of Article 131 of the LPP”, is written in the third point of the decision.
It took a long time for the Ministry of Culture to come out with the notice to cancel the process.
“The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports cancels the procurement activity entitled: ‘Work for the implementation of the detailed project (main implementer), of architecture and engineering, for the conservation and restoration of the National Library of Kosovo, in Pristina, in the Republic of Kosovo'”, the Ministry of Culture announced at the beginning of April for the process that started as early as August last year.
The group of companies that offered are “Limitproject SH.PK”, “Rinesa SH.PK”, “Delta – CCD SH.PK” and “Alping SH.PK”. They offered to do the restoration for 21 million 956 thousand 811 euros.
According to the justification of the decision of the Ministry of Culture, after evaluating the offer, the commission has found that the economic operator has not met the requirement of professional technical capacity. According to MKRS, it was necessary to provide evidence of competence for sufficient experience in the relevant sector and, for this purpose, it was necessary to prove that during the past three years it has implemented architecture and engineering contracts for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage assets in the amount of at least 5 million euros. Also, proof of work has been requested for the implementation of detailed architecture and engineering projects for the construction or renovation of public buildings in the amount of at least 10 million euros.
“For each member of the group of economic operators, the financial value of similar projects was calculated and, after the evaluation, it failed to meet the financial value of 5 million euros… The group of economic operators for this criterion has provided evidence in lists of contracts, similar contracts that reach a total value of 4 million and 925 thousand euros,” the decision’s rationale reads.
Also, according to the reasoning, it appears that the criterion of 10 million has not been met either, since the group of economic operators has brought evidence amounting to 6 million and 651 thousand euros.
“We have made that decision, but now we will see how the procedure will go, as there may be complaints”, the Ministry of Culture told KOKHA at the time.
“Limitproject SH.PK” had opposed all the conclusions of MKRS and the PRBO has decided to grant the right to this economic operator.
“The Review Panel, after examining all the facts and arguments, has come to the conclusion that the Contracting Authority during the development of this procurement activity did not respect the legal provisions of the LPP, so it orders the CA to fully adhere to the legal provisions of the LPP during the re-evaluation of this procurement activity”, after reviewing the case documents. According to the PRB, the assessment of the Ministry of Culture about the financial value of the works carried out is unstable.
According to the Public Procurement Review Body, the bank’s support to economic operators is also clear and unconditional.
In April, the director of the National Library of Kosovo, Blerina Rogova-Gaxha, said that the tender was cancelled, because the consortium of economic operators, as the only applicant in the tender, did not meet the selection criteria, criteria announced in the Public Tender File by the Ministry.
“The intervention is necessary, however, given the complexity of the object and its status as a cultural heritage under permanent protection, the conservation and renovation process requires a careful, responsible approach and based on the highest professional standards, with the aim of preserving the authenticity and identity of the building”, she said.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Library of Kosovo, academician Bardh Rugova, said that it is not necessary to do anything quickly.
“Some of today’s problems are the result of what was done quickly and quickly at the top of the schedule. However, we wish that the work will be completed as successfully as possible”, said Rugova.
The building of the National Library of Kosovo, designed by the Croatian architect Andrija Mutnjakovic, has been in operation since 1982. On May 26, 1982, the National Library of Kosovo began work in the then new building, symbolizing it with academician Esad Mekul as the first reader. The solemn inauguration of this object took place on November 25, 1982, on Library Day.
The library is built in a four-story structure, with a total area of 16,500 square meters, of which 13,500 square meters are usable.
“The building is characterized by a composition of domes wrapped in a skeletal steel membrane, which in combination with the zenith lighting through the domes provides abundant lighting and protection from excessive insulation. This structure is designed to provide optimal conditions for the storage and access to the library’s large holdings”, it is written on the website of the institution.
The Croatian architect, Andrija Mutnjakovic, in November 2024, was present at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of BKK. In a presentation and conversation with architecture students at the Modelarium of the Faculty of Architecture, academician Mutnjakovic said that he worked on all projects with people in the foreground. He had said about the Library that it was not an accidental vision.
“Europe is small and has its own architectural identity. Our part of Europe is based on Byzantine architecture. There is a long tradition of Byzantine forms. Natural light is meant to be versatile. The other aspect is always related to nature,” said Mutnjakovic.
As for the interventions in the National Library of Kosovo, one of the last interventions was that of 2020, when the roof was insulated. With nearly 200,000 euros, a long-standing problem was rectified.
