Pristina, 4th of December, 2023 – Ombudsperson, due to public opinion and media interest, through this statement would like to inform the public that, based on the mandate arising from the Law no. 05/L-019 on Ombudsperson, is conducting investigations on the basis of the complaint admitted from residents of village Marec, with regard to the lack of supply with drinking water in this village as well as lack of infrastructure for treatment of waste water.

The Ombudsperson, upon preliminary analysis of the aforementioned case in village Marec, based on the fact that the right to drinking water is an elementary and inviolable right, as well as taking into account the constitutional and legal responsibility of public institutions for protection of residents’ health and environment, has contacted the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo (NIPHK), Regional Water Company (RWC)-KRU “Prishtina” as well as Municipality of Prishtina, as competent institutions for addressing this issue, with a request for treatment with priority of the given issue.

The NIPHK, within its competences, has recommended to the Municipality of Prishtina as well as to RWC “Prishtina” that each of them, within the scope of competences and responsibilities, undertake necessary measures for long-term solution planning, meaning 24-hour water supply, due to the fact that 21 villages in this area are not yet connected to water supply system.

Municipality of Prishtina has pledged, that in cooperation with RWC Prishtina and other relevant institutions it has commenced the procedures for handling of this issue and has promised connection to the water supply of all villages of Gollaku region, with special emphasis on providing connection to the water supply network of all villages of the Municipality of Prishtina, which still are not connected to the water supply network.

The Ombudsperson, on this occasion, calls upon all relevant competent institutions, that within reasonable time limits, undertake actions in handling this problem, with the aim to protect citizens’ health as well as environment in the village of Marec and even further.

The Ombudsperson continues to monitor the situation and actions of responsible institutions, and, pursuant to constitutional and legal powers, will assess undertaking of other actions in this direction.