Shpend Ahmeti explains long-standing air pollution in Pristina, measures to be taken

Pristina Mayor Shpend Ahmeti has declared that the main cause of air pollution in Pristina is warming during the period when temperatures drop.

Ahmeti says that without stopping the flow of coal into the market as an alternative to heating, solutions will hardly be found in this regard.

The first of the capital has mentioned the issue of heavy traffic as another cause of air pollution, saying that planned measures for reducing traffic would be taken during this year, Periscope notes.

This is Ahmet's full post on Facebook

Dear citizens of Pristina,

I am writing to inform you about the situation regarding air pollution, to inform you of both the causes of tests and even the actions we have taken and to ask others to take them.

1. Tests and reports compiled by local and foreign experts point to several causes of air pollution that are similar to that of other cities. What is more acute is the situation during the winter when the situation deteriorates. Then we note that there is a direct (direct effect) conglomerate of several paramentes with air pollution. It's got a negative temperature conglomerate, so when there's a drop in temperature there's an increase in pollution. There is a positive conglomerate with the moisture of the air, that is, when the moisture of the air is high, the value of the 2.5 particles grows, as well as positive corloration, as well as atmospheric pressure. These last two are understandable, wet particles are heavier and stay closer to the earth, and there is also the impact that particles stay closer to the earth.
2. This temperature is clear, related to heating sources - the use of wood and even worse coal in the city's individual neighborhoods. Here we also need to understand why the increase in coal use has occurred in some parts of the city. For a few years, KED has begun to fight informality, or net losses, claiming there are in the wake of neighbourhoods that are behind more than 60 per cent net losses. According to them, citizens have used the current for heating because a considerable portion of it has not been paid. With the curfew, citizens have been forced into alternative/freer heating methods. The price of wood has also increased, while coal is much cheaper than other methods.
3. Available are short - and medium - term measures. The medium-term measures are a priority of the municipality. We have launched the biggest central heating project in the Balkans with solar panels, to connect Tophane, Medrese, Trima Hill, Kolovic and others. This project, worth about 45m euros, should be completed within 4 years. We're also continuing to expand the network and double co-generation to accommodate all collective buildings. The overall investment is at 70m euros, and a significant portion have been secured as grants and as loans.
4. The short-term measure would be to stop coal for heating, but this cannot be done through individual home inspection. It's just impossible. This can only be stopped at the source from the central government level. So let's stop the coal mileing that ends in the market and prevent the import for individual heating that would be impossible to bring coal to the market. (A bag costs 2 euros). However, this does not take into account the socioeconomic factor, and if it is not conveyed by citizen subsidies for heating it has consequences. Thus, citizens have chosen these methods because of the economic situation.
5. Other rapid measures are without a major effect on the current situation. Traffic measures are being implemented, and even during this year's parking year, transit charge and other measures will have traffic reductions over the year. However, alternative heating methods remain the main problem.

These days, we're having meetings with some of the interest, but even the institutional vacuum is creating trouble. We hope that as soon as we can get the central level we can coordinate short and medium-term measures.