Pristina, June 16, 2022 – The Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj discussed with persons with disabilities in the municipality of Suhareka about the challenges and problems they face in everyday life. The meeting was also attended by the Mayor, Mr. Bali Muharremaj, as well as the two deputies of Kosovo Assembly, Mrs. Albana Bytyqi and Mr. Sali Zyba.

The Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj briefly informed the participants about his mandate and role in the protection and promotion of human rights, as well as his competencies arising from the law. He said that in such roundtables a lot of data is being collected from citizens and direct concerns.

Persons with disabilities raised some concerns regarding physical access where there are no slopes in public institutions but also in private ones. Numerous complaints were raised against medical commissions that assess disability.

The blind people pointed out that they are not able to import special vehicles for them as the authorities are asking them to have a driver’s license. They also stressed that another concern for them is the non-implementation of the law on blind people and the non-implementation of the law on paraplegic and tetraplegic persons, such as exemption from property tax and other payments.

Another issue that was raised is related to children that turn five years old are exempted from social schemes. Another topic highlighted was the lack of assistants in schools as a right of children with disabilities.

The Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj responded to many questions raised by the participants, claiming that during the campaign, many challenges and problems were identified in such roundtables, and which will be investigated and will come up with recommendations for public authorities.

The questions of the participants were also answered by the mayor and the deputies in question. Mayor, Mr. Muharremaj stressed the readiness to cooperate with the Ombudsperson’s Institution and civil society organizations, in order to improve services for persons with disabilities. He added that the municipality has taken a series of concrete actions to help persons with disabilities, by increasing the number of assistants for children with disabilities, as well as providing rent-free premises for associations that protect rights of persons with disabilities.

Whereas, the deputies, Mrs. Albana Bytyqi and Mr. Sali Zyba stressed the importance of MPs to participate in roundtables to hear the challenges and concerns of citizens, in order to address the concerns of people with disabilities.