The Director of Mobility in the Municipality of Prishtina, Donat Lushaku, stated that Podujeva buses will not be allowed to return to the stop near the Llap Mosque. He emphasized that any attempts to block traffic will be prevented by inspectors and the police, reports KosovaPress.
This morning, the Association of Podujeva-Prishtina Bus Transporters protested in front of the Prishtina Municipality, opposing the decision to prohibit stops at the Llap Mosque.
At a press conference, Lushaku said there is room for dialogue on two main issues: stopping illegal taxis—a shared concern of both the municipality and the Bus Association—and discussing the possibility that some routes contracted by the Municipality of Prishtina may not enter Podujeva’s territory.
“Podujeva’s Bus Association has continued with the strike. But now, following the police notice and written warning, the strike in its previous form will not occur in the sense of blocking traffic or designated lanes in specific areas of the city. The municipality, together with its inspectorate and the police, will take legal measures against them. Traffic circulation within the city will not be allowed under any circumstances. Returning to the so-called Llap Mosque station is out of the question. We are trying to meet other demands. There will be room for dialogue on two points: first, the issue of illegal taxis, which is both our concern and the request of the Podujeva Bus Association; second, some routes contracted by the municipality should not pass through Podujeva,” said Lushaku.
He explained that returning buses near the Llap Mosque is not permitted because such a move could set a precedent for other cities, worsening Prishtina’s already heavy traffic.
He also noted that the areas where these buses are assigned to operate have all the signage indicating stops, even though no physical station exists.
“We had a meeting on Friday at the police’s invitation. We gave our proposals. Their goal is for the buses to return to the Llap Mosque station… If we allow Podujeva’s Bus Association, in this case the city buses, to be placed in the city, we will then face requests from other cities, which would block the already heavy city traffic… There are station signs, but no physical station. At every point where we told them to operate, the station signs are there,” Lushaku emphasized.
Lushaku stated that the situation on the ground will continue to be monitored by the police in cooperation with the Municipal Inspectorate. He warned that any attempt to block roads or traffic lanes will be immediately addressed with concrete measures, including the removal of signs.
“The police will continue to monitor the situation with the inspectorate. The moment lanes or traffic are blocked, the signs will be removed,” Lushaku said.
Citizens and bus drivers from Podujeva have opposed the Prishtina Municipality’s decision to prohibit buses from returning to the area near the Llap Mosque.
The measure was taken by the municipality in cooperation with the Kosovo Police, citing that some transport operators were trying to bypass the Prishtina Bus Station.
This decision has sparked reactions from Llap residents, who consider it unfair and a threat to their safety.
Meanwhile, the head of the Prishtina-Podujeva Bus Transport Association, Beqir Mustafa, said they were fined 500 euros each by the Municipal Inspectorate. He added that drivers will not return to work until their demands are met.
