“Formula”

Forests around the shores of Lake Batala have lost their former density. Old trees have been cut down, giving construction space.

The foundations of luxury villa houses have been cemented, instilling these constructions in the slope of Lake Lake. Although without permission and contrary to legislation in effect, the mountain is filled with dozens of objects, some of which are under construction, and others raised on two to three floors.

The Central Inspectorate for Forestry and Hunting, which operates under the Kosovo Forest Agency, has found a formula that enabled illegal construction without being hampered by anyone. This institution had ascertained the situation, but had not taken measures. All he had done is report the case to the Ministry of Environment. And the measures were missing even after the ministry had made it clear that there is no competence over the Agency's state forest properties.

Private builders have exploited this situation, but even the time of pandemic and institutional vacuum during the local election period to boost construction in this section. Raised villas have become hotel businesses, which are being exploited by many tourists.

The mess created without plans and criteria took place in front of institutions.

The Kosovo Forests Agency (AKP), according to the Kosovo Forests Law No. 0303, is responsible for managing the forests and forests of the state forest and regulating forests and private lands, including those of Batlava.

It examines the demands of private owners who through the municipality present their requests for logging, while for changing temporary destination and exploiting their properties they must take testimony from the municipality and then apply to the APK.

The APK then examines the requirements and issues a decision on approval or rejection through the commission and its bodies.

But despite that, the Central Inspectorate for Forestry and Hunting, which is within the APK, has been aware that the builders have no consent from the APK and construction permits from the Community, but have not taken measures to ban construction on forest land, trying to bear the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment and Space Planning itself.

Although in May of last year the director of the Central Directorate of Inspectorate for Forest and Hunting (DQIPGJ), Besim Zogu, had been notified of the construction situation in that section after inspections of the lake construction case at MMPHI.

But a report by the Interior Auditor that has assured KOHA that through the ordinance of director Zogu granted the inspectors to carry the matter to the ministry, there are suspicions that he has attempted to flee from responsibility for taking legal measures to prevent illegal activities in the case. According to the report, the inspector has been prevented from exercising his legal duties.

Administratorial guidelines for the authorization and competencies of the Pyor Inspectorate and decisions procedures at points 5, 9, 13,14 and 19 of the third article define the duties, authorisations and measures of the Inspectorate.

Presequently, cutting and all other jobs that are incompatible with the law and other sublegal acts from forest leave to final decision of the competent body” are said at 5th of this article. “In emergency cases that cause total interest, instead of the event, and by decision orders work cuts and the application of measures to prevent damage”, follows point 9.

The 13th point also envisions that the inspector “inspects and inspects the application of measures to protect forests and forest lands from illegal usurpation and exploitation and construction of facilities without permission and necessary documentation”.

According to the Auditor's report, DQIPG's inactions could be seen as violations and allowing damage and degradation of forest land, whether public or private, in this area.

At point 14 it is said that inspectors monitor and inspect the change of destination, while section 19 envisions taking legal action, exercising paperwork for criminal and counter-invasive.

But Chief Inspector Zogu said that after receiving information from the chief chief of the day The APK, Ahmet Zeinullahu, has asked inspectors to develop extraordinary checks.

We've come to the conclusion that the construction case around Batlava Lake has been protected waterways for what content it's carried on. MMPHI”, he said.

He has given this reasoning, however, that in communications he has developed with ministry officials, Zogu has become clear that the Forests Agency through the Inspectorate must deal with them.

“MMPHI does not manage with AKP properties that are in protected areas unless they are water property under law no. 04/L-147 for Kosovo waters”, said in one of the electronic answers Ministry officials have forwarded to Chief Inspector Zogu.

Even a legal interpretation of the Prime Minister's Office says the APK manages public and private forest land and is responsible for related issues in forest regulation, private forest management, management and management of public forest and forestland, as well as forests in national parks.

Also, according to the 012020) Administrastration Guide for the Change and Development of Administrative Guide No.41/2006 for exchange of agricultural land destination, forests and forest lands can be rented by APK and Article 7, provisions 1.9 predict protection properties to seek consent from the Ambinent Ministry responsible.

The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning have said that the Inspectorate of this ministry has not conducted any activity in the Batlava Lake area and have given the reason why they have done so.

The subx0> based on the legislation in force, competent for forests are: Kosovo's Forest Agency and the municipality, depending on the category, while construction is (first) category of construction and again based on construction laws this category is the competence of relevant municipalities”, the Ministry for TIMEN's response says.

According to the Administrative Guide for Marine Protection Areas, construction is not allowed in the first area and that the MMPHI is responsible, which earlier in this area had destroyed facilities without permission.

While construction outside the first zone is the responsibility of the municipality. But, for every cut and construction in forest land, it needs initial consent from the APK. If these consents are not available, the Forest Inspectorate should take measures for all illegal activities in this sector on Kosovo's territory, including forest and forest construction around Lake Batlava.

And the Podujevo municipality with a construction inspector says it's doing as much as it can to stop construction without permission in that area.

The Inspector's director in this municipality, Besnik Mulliqi, has said that they have undertaken several shares to cut jobs into some private and commercial facilities.

But he feels that this situation has been inherited from past governments.

We're talking about a hot area. There are 39 targets without permission. But from now on there's no construction. The inspectors are there every day. There were constructions every day. This has been stopped. For these that were built earlier, we're trying to make solutions to”, Mulliq said.

He has shown that 13 decisions have already been sent to bring down objects. They are not executed, since complaints initiated by the owners of the established objects are in progress.

We found the situation inherited. It's a building area. But the first job I did after taking office is the Batala and Orlanan area, where I requested a report from inspectors. The same objects are not equipped with necessary documentation, as is the consent in the municipality and another number of” documentation, he has said.

Mullqi has confirmed that there have been cases when the Kosovo Forests Agency has issued a document to exchange land destination before taking conditions for construction from the municipality.

We've actually had problems with this, since it's initially arranged for the local level to issue conditions and then the transformation to take place, but there have been cases that the Agency has released that act first and the local level has been prior to an act committed”, he said.

The director of the Podujevo municipality's Inspectorate has indicated that there were construction attempts, but that, according to him, the Communist inspectors are on the ground and will not allow that.

While institutions accuse each other of who is responsible for allowing illegal construction, landowners have continued to work on investments in that section.