The municipality of Obiliq has reacted to the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) for, as it says, the situation created for the pollution and noise caused in this municipality.

Municipality of Obiliq, based on the Law on Environmental Protection, the Law on the Environmental Risk Zone of Obiliq, the Law on Protection of Air from Pollution, Directive 2001/80/EC, as well as UA no. 16/2007 on the Rules and Norms of Air Emissions from stationary sources of pollution, and in the framework of the supervision of activities with the legal standards and norms for the protection of the environment - air, water, land and noise, raises concerns about the situation created in Obiliq.

"Based on the memorandums between the Municipality of Obiliq and KEK, where it has been requested to install a protective green wall around the Thermal Power Plant, which has not been implemented so far, and the citizens of Obiliq, and in particular the residents, are still suffering from this of the village of Dardhishte", says the reaction of the Municipality of Obiliq.

It is further stated that 'These last two years, none of the projects dedicated to the community (citizens) in the territory of Obiliq have been realized. The projects, which are designed and ready to be implemented, the Municipality of Obiliq during these last three years has continuously sent projects that would have a direct impact on improving the lives of citizens, but the KEK has not received considering none of these projects".

The response also states that 'From 20.08.2024 to 15.09.2024, the filters inside Kosovo B have been out of order and the situation in the Thermal Power Plant "Kosova B" has had enormous excesses, for which there have been reports in the media and networks social. From the statements of the citizens during these days, the air in Obiliq has reached very high levels of pollution. Also, noise was created near this power plant, which is unbearable for the residents, mainly in the evening hours. Throughout this period we have reacted and asked the Energy Corporation of Kosovo to provide data (report) on the situation. We have requested a detailed report for TC A and TC B for the aforementioned dates, but this has not happened. Even today we had a similar situation in the city of Obiliq, where the air pollution was outside of all normal dimensions.

In the end it is said that 'due to the high pollution of the environment we have increased cases of diseases. If we compare the participation of respiratory diseases in the general morbidity in the less polluted cities of Kosovo, the diseases of the respiratory organs identified in KKU and in the regional hospitals of Kosovo for the age group over 18 years old are about 14.26%, while in Kastriot with the surrounding area are about 30%".

"Then we can conclude with certainty that thermal power plants throughout all these years have not only caused a polluted and harmful environment, but have directly affected the quality of life, people's health and shortening of life", the reaction says. .

According to the Municipality of Obiliq, environmental pollution has become one of the main factors for shortening the lives of the residents of Obiliq.

"There is a large number of people who turn to clinics for numerous problems, caused by fumes or gases that are released into the atmosphere every day. One of the main diseases caused by pollution is lung cancer, which in most cases is fatal. Daily reports during 2023 show that respiratory tract diseases reached 17,912 cases, while circulatory diseases in 7,355 cases. In the Municipality of Obiliq, on average every year we have 50 new cases of cancer (dg carcinoma). While only during the January-September period of 2024, 876 home visits were made to persons with malignant (cancerous) diseases".

According to the municipality, the other damage is the discharge of untreated water, which is discharged directly into the rivers of Obiliq, and especially into the river Sitnica.

"We have discharges not only from the power plants, but also from the ash hydraulic system, which is discharged into the Sitnica river, for which we have raised concerns and have addressed several requests to the KEK".

According to the municipality, "For all the damages that are being caused to the residents of the Municipality of Obiliq, we have no reaction from the Energy Corporation of Kosovo. The same is not respecting the Law on Obiliq, which obliges it to at least invest in projects of interest to the community and the improvement of the environment in general', says the reaction.