New Law on Pandemia: Kosovo police request authorisation to pronounce fines

The chairman of this commission, Albena Resiti, has said that because of the situation Kosovo is in with the Comud-19 pandemic, the second review of the pandemic bill will take place on 14 August, with accelerated procedure.

Therefore, she added that until 13 August as a commission, they should submit the report with recommendations for second review at the plenary session.

Because of the situation in which Kosovo is in place with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for this law to be adopted as soon as possible, the Parliament has decided that the second review of this bill will be done with accelerated procedure, which means avoiding the pre-procedural deadlines with the Parliament's regulation, and now it is set to take place on August 14th at the next session. In this case, we as the functional Commission for Health and Social Goodness should by 13 August present the report with recommendations for second review at the plenary session”, she said.

Resitij stressed that the bill needs fulfillment- change that in its appointment, asking for concrete proposals from those present that would further enrich the contents of the bill.

She said this bill should not be called “The Project on Prevention and Combating of the COVID-19 on the territory of Kosovo”, but it should be called “The Project on Prevention and Combating Unedience on the territory of the Republic of Kosovo”, because the same would have been able to apply whenever the country is faced with pandemic.

Reshimaj says it has been proposed that other provisions be introduced into this law, including the one for providing anti-vaccination COVID-19 for all citizens.

“In this bill is not presupposed to additional financial compensation for all medical professionals, so I have sought to introduce a new article that will regulate additional financial compensation for all health professionals, especially those who have been on the front line with COVID-19. We will ask for additional financial compensation to include the Kosovo Police and Inspectorate, all of the inspectors that have been and are engaged to the COVID-19 pandemic. I have also requested that the supply of essential equipment for all citizens be adjusted in this bill as long as their use is necessary. In this bill, emergency purchases, respiratories, tests and oxygen therapies should be allowed. This bill should also regulate the mobilization of medical personnel in the country during the time that pandemic, including students at the Medical School who are prepared to contribute. In this bill, we need to presuppose as soon as we have vaccines against COVID-19, the country's institutions will provide as many vaccines as possible for all citizens of the country. Also in this bill, it should be arranged for private health institutions to be exploited for the state's”, Resitij followed.

In terms of the name issue, SHKUK Director Valbon Krasniqi's taskman, stated that as far as his name is concerned, it would be preferable to be called “Law on Management the Deved” pandemic.

“I don't know the legal aspect, after reading it first, but much more, I would prefer the word "the law for management of the Codweb" pandemic, and then to the definitions of adding to the word "managimem" which would mean all the measures that would be taken with the aim of early identification of prevention, diagnostics, treatment and clinical management of cases with Covid-19<1>, he indicated.

While IKSHPK chairman Naser Ramadani expressed joy that this bill is being discussed in the Kosovo Assembly.

However, he also demanded that the dignity of health workers should be adjusted to this bill. According to him, they are not respected enough for the job done.

I would have proposed that the dignity of health workers remain in this law. If dignity does not go into law, then for me the law would be weak, for public health workers in particular it would be flawed... . We are very disappointed that the dignity of health workers is desecrated. Practically, the only thing in the pandemic has been desecrated, all of us, from me to the last health person. We are desecrated from all levels, from ordinary citizens to institutions”, he says.

Kosovo Police Director Rashit Qalaj has proposed that this law grant competencies to its subordinates to pronounce fines.

Currently recalling problems with masks or physical distance, Qalaj said Kosovo police should be authorised for fines when needed.

This law, in addition to determining the measures, would also determine granting authority to competent bodies for the fine that I consider, that this law would have administrative fines. These fines are very important for citizens who are facing them on the street for not wearing a mask. These cases cannot be handled differently, except as administrative violations, and as well as keeping distance and several other works, and it is not enough to have the Kosovo Police mandated to be authorized for fines if there is a need for persons who do not respect the measures set by the government, by the Ministry of Health, recommendations by the National Institute of Public Health, and so forth against”, he says.