Prishtina, 17.03.2017 – Prishtina will have regular water supply thanks to the new water processing plant inaugurated today in village Shkabaj, while direct beneficiaries of this project will be the residents of municipalities of Fushë Kosova, Obiliq, Graqanica, Lipjan, Podujeva and some villages of Vushtrri. The plants processing capacity will be 700 liters/second, while the project value will reach 35 million Euro.

Attending the inauguration ceremony of the project were senior executives of central institutions, Municipality of Prishtina, Office of the European Union, Embassy of Germany, KfW, RWC Prishtina, etc.

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli stated in the opening ceremony that this major capital project started years ago as a result of a multifaceted cooperation between the Government, European Commission, Municipality of Prishtina, and the German creditors, and provides a solution to one of the main chronic problems in the capital of Kosovo, namely regular supply of drinking water.

He added that after the project is completed, institutions must work hard to resolve the problem of drinking water in other municipalities in Kosovo as well.

From his part, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said that this plant is one of the biggest investments. “It is a pleasure for us to resolve the biggest problems for citizens, such as water, heat and energy. This will not only solve the problem in Prishtina, but also in the surrounding municipalities. I am pleased that the Municipality of Prishtina has fulfilled its obligations. There is no better thing for citizens than to be provided with water,” said Mustafa.

The Minister of Economic Development, Blerand Stavileci, said that we are inaugurating the largest investment ever since the establishment of the Regional Water Company Prishtina, namely the new water treatment plant in Shkabaj with a capacity of 700 liters per second, and 500 liters per second for the later phase, which will allow RWC Prishtina to secure 24-hour drinking water service not only to the citizens of the municipality of Prishtina, but also for around 40% of the Kosovo population from the three completed stages.

“The total investment value of the third phase of the Water Plant in Shkabaj is 35 million Euro, with the European Union contributing a 5 million Euro grant through IPA 2010, German Financial Cooperation through KFW providing 20 million in a development loan and the Government of Kosovo providing a grant, through the MED, of 5 million Euro and the Municipality of Prishtina adding 5 million more”, he added.

On behalf of MED, Stavileci thanked the donors, and congratulated the inhabitants of the beneficiary municipalities, because the finalization of these major projects will provide uninterrupted supply of drinking water.

From her part, the Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Natalia Apostolova, emphasized that this will have an impact in the lives of all, and considered that this is the largest project in the water sector in Kosovo.