Vetëvendosje Movement (LVV) MP Ilir Kërçeli has asked Prishtina Municipality to clarify several contracts. In an interview with ATV television, he raised questions about the whereabouts of old streetlight poles, a possible contract addendum for the smart lighting project, and planned spending on “Gjergj Bush” Square.
According to Kërçeli, the initial €10 million smart lighting contract has been completed. He said he has information suggesting that a contract addendum worth 30 percent of the original contract, or around €3 million, may subsequently have been signed. The MP asked the Municipality to disclose whether this addendum exists and where the old poles have ended up.
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Kërçeli clarified that raising these concerns does not amount to calling for the arrest of Prishtina Mayor Përparim Rama. He said any action against Rama must be grounded in law, while matters that raise questions should be examined by the competent institutions. He said MPs are not a court, but have a responsibility and a legal obligation to pass on reports of suspected wrongdoing and irregularities they observe to the relevant authorities, rather than remain silent.
Commenting on Rama’s formal announcement of his candidacy for leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Kërçeli expressed the view that it could help the Prishtina mayor portray any potential legal action as an obstacle to his political ambitions. According to the MP, if Rama is indicted, he could claim he is being targeted at a time when he is expressing ambitions to become prime minister.
Kërçeli denied that LVV had forced Rama to sign the contracts he has questioned. He said Rama had taken those actions knowingly and that LVV, on the contrary, had consistently opposed what it considers an abuse of citizens’ trust.
Another contract the MP wants clarified concerns the “Gjergj Bush” Square project. Kërçeli said he had requested access to official documents and called on Prishtina Municipality to make them available to him. Based on his research so far, he suspects that this project may involve even greater misuse than the smart lighting contract.
The MP said that, after reviewing the documentation, he would soon present Prishtina’s citizens with an analysis of the spending. He aims to clarify how their taxes have been used and whether the amounts set out in the contract are reasonable for the planned services.
Among the spending items, Kërçeli singled out around €18,000 that he said had been allocated in the contract for the bust of Kosovo’s historic former president, Ibrahim Rugova. He said the amount covers removing the bust from its location near the Cathedral, taking it to storage, and returning and reinstalling it in its previous position.
Kërçeli questioned whether this amount was reasonable, but acknowledged that he does not know how much such a service actually costs. He asked the Municipality to explain the transport costs, the work required, and any equipment that might be needed, including whether a truck or a special vehicle would have to be used.
The MP said he is awaiting the full documentation to examine the contract in greater detail and share his findings with citizens. He reiterated that, according to the information he has obtained so far, €18,000 has been allocated for removing the bust, taking it elsewhere, and returning it, which has heightened his suspicions.
