Public and private transport workers protested for several hours today in front of the Municipality of Prishtina and the Government of Kosovo. They declared that today is the final deadline for reflection; otherwise, starting tomorrow, the entire road segment will be blocked with all urban traffic buses from morning until evening.
The Chairman of the Urban Traffic Union, Ilmi Gashi, expressed concern that the municipality and the ministry are postponing their responsibilities regarding the allocation of funds, emphasizing that citizens are suffering due to delays in paying debts to urban traffic operators.
He called for the situation to be resolved immediately, warning that further delays could worsen the situation.
“The municipality has just released a statement saying that the funds have not arrived, and we are left going back and forth like a real ping-pong ball. In these cold temperatures, for the sake of citizens who are suffering from lack of transport—we beg citizens’ patience for their sake—these authorities need to reflect today. If nothing happens, we will resume regular work only when the funds are allocated to pay off the debts,” he said.
Later, Gashi took a firmer stance at the end of today’s protest.
“Today is the final deadline for reflection. Otherwise, from tomorrow, the entire road segment will be blocked with all buses with the capacities we have in urban traffic. Starting in the morning, the union will organize protests throughout the day, and neither the municipality nor the government will be able to move freely or function as normal,” he said.
Citizen Bush Vitija expressed concern about the difficult transport situation, noting that some citizens, especially those in social cases, are suffering due to the lack of transport options.
“We are in a very difficult situation because some people cannot afford it. Those of us with cars can travel, but for someone in social need, it is a big problem. Taxi drivers, as we hear, are charging 4–5 euros for short trips and taking advantage of the situation. This is bad for citizens… Transport is missing, there is a severe shortage of transport, and traffic is being blocked,” he said.
Naim Krasniqi told KosovaPress that he is concerned about the difficult situation citizens are facing, emphasizing that the lack of transport and delays in salary payments (seven months unpaid) are making life unbearable.
“So, my point is that this is a very serious misfortune. For pity’s sake, this people have suffered during the war, we know what we went through, and today, people who need buses don’t have them. Every person here who needs to travel has no way to do so. Today, a blockade has been created out of nothing. This is a human factor… It is costly for those who haven’t received salaries for seven months. Does the finance minister have a conscience? Does he have children, a wife, a family? He is blocking people who are supporting their families for seven months, at a time when prices have gone up four to five times in the last four to five years,” he said.
The worsening transport situation and delays in salary payments are the result of a lack of coordination between the responsible institutions. This has created an environment of uncertainty and social tension, making life harder for citizens, especially those in difficult economic conditions.
