The inspection campaign by the Ministry of Labour, in cooperation with the Central Labour Inspectorate, targeting the construction sector is ongoing.
According to the first 48-hour reports, 110 construction sites have been inspected, work has been suspended at 50 construction sites, and 33 warnings have been issued.
Based on the same reports, in Prishtina 12 construction sites were inspected, in Fushë Kosovë 10, in Ferizaj 13, in Gjilan 12, in Mitrovica 13, in Lipjan 12, in Podujevë 11, in Drenas 11, and in Gjakova 16.
As the main cause of workplace deaths, the Chairman of the Independent Trade Union of the Private Sector of Kosovo, Jusuf Azemi, points to lack of vigilance and negligence by construction company owners.
“In the first place is the lack of proper vigilance of company owners at their worksites. I am convinced that the vast majority of these owners are aware and know what the risk is, but they do not improve these conditions so that at least workers do not lose their lives at work. Unfortunately, 2025 and the beginning of 2026 is a very difficult period because we have an extremely high number of workers who have died at their workplace, and this is obviously due to the negligence of company owners,” Azemi said.
Azemi stresses that 70 percent of workplace deaths come from the construction sector and the average age of victims is 38 years.
“The majority of those who have died at their workplace come from construction, where 70 percent of deaths come from this sector, while the average age of the deceased is 38 years,” he further said.
Azemi adds that company owners should be more aware of these issues and that every company owner should be more educated about workplace risks. According to him, if they respect the Law on Safety and Health, these cases would be avoided and would not occur so frequently.
He also emphasizes that the fines imposed by courts or inspectors are too lenient and should be made stricter.
“Even the court penalties and those of inspectors are so lenient that it is hard to believe. When a worker dies at the workplace, a company owner or manager can be held for 48 hours at a police station and then is free. I think the Central Labour Inspectorate should be more equipped with labour inspectors, inspectors who know how to implement the Law on Safety and Health in the first place. Secondly, they must be more vigilant and cases that are seen as high-risk should be shut down for a certain period,” Azemi stressed.
This action, which started at the beginning of the week, will last a total of 15 days and will be carried out in seven regions.
