Works on the project of the Municipality of Prizren for "Urban Regeneration of the banks of the Lumbardh River" in the Historical Center of Prizren have started without the consent of the cultural heritage bodies. For this reason, according to the information received by EC Ma Ndryshe, these works have been banned by the Inspectorate for Cultural Heritage of MKRS.

According to the announcement published on social networks on the website of the mayor of the Municipality of Prizren, Mytaher Haskuka, the works on this project were visited on November 6, on the eve of the run-off, to which event the minister of MKRS Hajrulla Çeku was also invited.

But this week, MKRS officials have confirmed for the EC that this project has not been given consent by the cultural heritage bodies that are subordinate to this ministry.

The Municipality of Prizren, through DUPH, on June 1, 2021 submitted the request for consent for the "Urban Regeneration for the banks of the Lumbardh" project. While on June 28, 2021, the QRTK in Prizren forwarded to the DUPH the recommendation of the Commission for the review and assessment of requirements and conservation and restoration projects of cultural heritage - QHP, which has returned the case to the Commission for correction and completion.

Meanwhile, on August 3, 2021, the DUPH takes a decision allowing the DUPH to develop works for the "Urban Regeneration for the banks of the Lumbardh" project.

On August 12, 2021, the QRTK in Prizren submitted a complaint to the MMPHI to the Commission of the second degree against the decision of the DUPH dated August 3, 2021, with the claim that in this case there is an essential violation of the provisions of the administrative procedure and incorrect implementation of material law.

According to an official response of MKRS, this complaint of QRTK has not yet been addressed. "In accordance with the legal provisions in force (respectively, article 18, of the Law on the Historical Center), the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning forwarded the said complaint to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Kosovo Council for Cultural Heritage. In order to handle the complaint, MKRS has delegated a legal officer. This information has been sent to MMPHI, and it is requested that in cooperation with the officials from KKTK and MMPHI, the submitted complaint will be handled further. After the handling of this complaint by the relevant institutions, and based on the legal provisions in force, it will be required to take steps in accordance with the decision issued from the reviewed complaint. We will commit to treat this matter as a priority, and ensure the implementation of the laws in force".

EC Ma Ndryshe reminds that according to the legislation in force, for any intervention in the infrastructure of the Historical Center of Prizren, the consent of the TRTK is needed, and that this is not the only case that the municipal bodies during this mandate have initiated works in this protected area without consent of this body of cultural heritage. In addition, the start of work on this project, during the campaign, without the proper consent of the cultural heritage body, constitutes an unethical action by institutional officials.

Regarding this project, EC Ma Ndryshe has reacted before, with the call for such projects in the historical center of Prizren to be realized according to the legislation

(link:https://www.facebook.com/ecmandryshe/posts/pfbid0o5AUUgo27VKh7DYgUqjk9cfBnVVnroGmVMZ2u3Uuahcxy7ZsQcgAqvSedabuKDVel?__cft__[0]=AZVMfFUHAkwgLM_LZtYA-8NN4eIzExZJ-0Zo5IEKBgPhTDi7AD5Uj0udsSj5gdzMF3t5zW5d9j4sxeNo0Joc9lZn0H9W5kMIWJzqlj-UOUssBI5ISBlEdaWA7egj6vTXjc7xUHThIoncu-75wHIiYVKE70T-4VKsbAAnYbpkiu_CLep4dVzE6Bx3mG7w2aCvuy4&__tn__=-UK-R)

and that the concrete project was non-transparent, without public competition and without citizen participation (link:https://www.facebook.com/ecmandryshe/posts/4086356651478572/?__cft__[0]=AZVMfFUHAkwgLM_LZtYA-8NN4eIzExZJ-0Zo5IEKBgPhTDi7AD5Uj0udsSj5gdzMF3t5zW5d9j4sxeNo0Joc9lZn0H9W5kMIWJzqlj-UOUssBI5ISBlEdaWA7egj6vTXjc7xUHThIoncu-75wHIiYVKE70T-4VKsbAAnYbpkiu_CLep4dVzE6Bx3mG7w2aCvuy4&__tn__=-UK-R)

Therefore, EC Ma Ndryshe through this response calls on all relevant institutions in relation to this project to take measures to respect the legality of the Historical Center of Prizren, and that in the future such projects are carried out with complete transparency, with public competition with the participation of citizens.