“Do not even open the windows for ventilation”

Air pollution in Pristina has reached alarming levels. The National Institute of Public Health in Kosovo has called on citizens to reduce city exits and in polluted air places, especially in the morning and evening.
Stay at home and don't open the windows to air rooms. Those who should inevitably go out on their own activities outside the home to use protective masks or to cover their mouth and nose with scarves”, the National Institute of Public Health media communique says.
According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency and the American Embassy of PM 2.5 are above the allowed values.
Citizens in the streets of Pristina have been seen responding to calls from the National Public Health Institute to use protective masks.
Citizen Lindita Azem says she is deeply concerned about the level of air pollution in the capital, where she lives with her family.
The polluted sky is being seen with its eyes, as well as when it is smelling, with a strange smell. It's pathetic. I try to live healthy with as many opportunities as we have in Kosovo, while we have contaminated air poisoning”, she says.
Albanian Sylejmani, who lives in Pristina's Sun Hill neighbourhood, also speaks of high levels of air pollution, which, according to her, is creating health problems.
The sky was very polluted in the morning, and in particular at evening it is moving to an even higher level of pollution. This is a serious condition that is being endangered by contaminated air. Institutions and all of us have to do something to improve air purity”, says Sylejmani.
Abednego Gashi, the parent of two children, says he is more concerned about his children most.
I'm thinking it's never been the most polluted air yet. I'm worried a lot about the health of my children. I don't even know what measures to take. Really bad”, Gashi says.
The deterioration of air quality levels in Pristina has alerted the Ministry of Space Planning Environment and other dictatorships, who have warned measures to reduce air pollution levels.
The government has approved on Monday the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning's request for the creation of this minister-led Task Force and has called on all acters to take measures in their field of responsibilities to improve air purity levels.
National Institute experts warn that unless urgent measures are taken, there will be negative effects on health damage and increased mortality from all causes, especially cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, it will be disturbing.
Agron Bektashi, an expert on environmental issues in Kosovo, in a proposal for Radio Free Europe says the situation on the issue of air pollution is serious and urgent measures must be taken.
“The situation is very serious, and all these measurements are from state institutions and the American Embassy, show that air pollution in the Pristina region is almost alarming”.
“is not a situation that solutions within a day, a week or six months. This requires a detailed strategy and close co-operation, unfortunately lacking between the Pristina municipality and economic operators and the relevant state institutions. Make a consensus on the environmental issue, as we are in a serious situation”, Bektas says.
Air pollution, according to Bektas, has resulted from uncontrolled development and poor urban and spatial planning, as well as overcrowding in Pristina.
“Pristina, due to overcrowding that it has experienced over the past 15 years, has an enormous entrance of vehicles, where as many as 30,000 vehicles entered the day, and on the other hand bad spatial planning in this country has allowed to build entire neighbourhoods that are heated with their own systems, most based on coals and wood”, Bektashi says.
Numerous cars, the Kosovo Energy Corporation, the use of coal for heating, unfavourable weather conditions are being considered by domestic institutions the main factors of air pollution in Kosovo.
In Kosovo it is estimated to be close to 38,000 cars, where the average of their age that circulates in the country is 18 years.
For degradation of the living environment, Kosovo was also criticised by international mechanisms.
In the reports of these mechanisms, Kosovo was ranked at the lowest level of environmental standards in the Western Balkans and in Europe.