Long lines in northern Mitrovica for 130 euro aid

This sum of money is part of the assistance Kosovo government has earmarked for citizens, within the framework of the Fiscal Emergency Pack, aimed at helping unemployed citizens during the pandemic.

Getting this help to the citizens of northern Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposaviqi and Zubin Potok, is done only at the Rina Transfer office, which has branch in northern Mitrovica.

Dragan Mitrovich of Northern Mitrovica says it is a total chaos, adding that the payment has been possible in several ways to avoid such crowds during the corruption pandemic.

“Could have been according to municipalities, ten days a municipality, ten days another municipality”, says Mitrovich for REL.

tells him that since Tuesday, he's been waiting to pull these tools. On Tuesday, August 18, he relates, there were 30 people ahead of him when this financial institution was left without money. On Wednesday, he says he's arrived in the early hours to capture order.

Now, ten more people are in front of me. There are many people from Kragujevci, Kraljeva, Belgrade, Cacak, Valeva”, Mitrovich says.

Borislav Vucetik from Leshak on Wednesday came near this office at 04:40.

There's no distance, I think it's a “catastrophe, he says.

Miljana Radojevic came to withdraw the money at 0900 on Wednesday, as he has been trying to withdraw these aid since Saturday.

I think this is a disaster and I think that the branch office before we are, which is for four Serb municipalities, is unable to perform its duty because it is just abnormal. Police are doing their job well, all praise to them, warning, but it's on the conscience of citizens whether to wear masks or not. In long lines, patience loses”, she says.

Meanwhile, Ahmet Ismaili, director of the Kosovo Treasury, announced to Radio Free Europe that behind the toll caused during the withdrawal of money, they have decided to extend the deadline for attracting 130 euros.

The preliminary deadline was until 21 August.

After the concern we have received, we are interested in the issue of the deadline for withdrawal of tools from measure 15 (v.j. Aids of 130 euros) to post offices, and to avoid any toll, we have just extended the deadline until August 28,”, Ismaili told REL.

According to measures the Government of Kosovo has taken, crowds of people are banned during the pandemic in order to curb the spread of further corruption.

Faik Hoti, spokesperson at the Kosovo Health Ministry, told The REL, that Kosovo institutions call for such gatherings as have been seen in North Mitrovica, ?

“in any communiqué, in any communication, draws remarks on this, which does not make the gatherings, such as these in North Mitrovica”, Hoti told REL.

From Kosovo police in northern Mitrovica, they say police officials are doing their job and close to this financial institution at any time are standing 20-25 police officers. According to police responsibility falls on those who are making the payment of these financial means, where only in one location, citizens from four northern municipalities are withdrawing these means.

Under measures taken by the Kosovo government on July 28th, all citizens are obliged to wear a 2m mask and physical distance, when they are located in joint environments outside their homes. Meanwhile, law enforcement and inspectors are obliged to ensure that citizens respect these measures.

The 130-euro fee began to be distributed to citizens on August 12th, and such lines were established even days ago in this municipality in the country's north.

Within the framework of the Fiscal Emergency Pack, 130 euros in sum benefit over 27 thousand households. The implementation of this package, for April, May and June, took place after the 2020 budget revision was approved on July 30th.

The right to the profit of 130 euros, from the Fiscal Emergency Pack, families that have no family employees, whether in the public or private sector, and do not accept any monthly payments from the Kosovo budget.