Romanian Reporter Wins 2013 Balkan Fellowship Award

The top prize in the 2013 Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence has been awarded to Vlad Odobescu, a Romanian reporter who described how his country’s politicians have bounced back from corruption investigations.

The second prize was won by Dino Jahic, a Bosnian reporter who investigated bribery within the education system.

The third prize was won by Elena Stancu, a Romanian reporter who examined corruption in the job market for doctors.

The top prize is accompanied by an award of €4,000. The second prize is worth €3,000 and the third prize is worth €1,000.

The winning articles were selected by an independent panel of judges, comprised of Florian Hassel, Balkans correspondent for German daily Suddeutsche Zeitung; Remzi Lani, the executive director of the Albanian Media Institute; Gerald Knaus, founding chairman of the European Stability Initiative; Milorad Ivanovic, executive editor of the Serbian weekly, Novi Magazin; Markus Spielman, editor of the Swiss newspaper, Neue Zurcher Zeitung; and Adelheid Wölfl, an editor at the Austrian daily, Der Standard.

The jury members praised Odobescu’s report for its use of a strong storyline with a colourful central character to illustrate a region-wide problem.

Odobescu says the fellowship helped him “prioritise and structure information, especially when huge amounts of data are gathered”.

The winners were announced on the evening of Friday, 13 December, at a ceremony at the Croatian Journalists’ Association in Zagreb.

The theme for this year’s competition was “integrity”. Journalists on the programme spanning the legacy of war, bad government and the politicisation of civil society.

Initiated by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation in 2007, in cooperation with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, the annual fellowship provides financial and professional support to foster quality reporting in the Balkan region.

The programme also seeks to encourage regional networking among journalists and to provide balanced coverage of complex reform issues that are central to the region and the European Union.

This year’s ten fellows were selected from more than 120 applicants from nine Balkan countries.

Next year’s programme will be open for applications from January 2014.

 

 

 

Deputy stands in for jailed mayor in Skenderaj

In the debate held on Thursday evening in Skenderaj, the current local government was accused of or criticized for the following: employing people on a partisan basis and through family connections, economic discrimination, presiding over a 67 percent unemployment rate, not dealing with the lack of running water and others. The mayoral candidates stated that the situation will change if they come to power.

Most of the candidates showed zero enthusiasm during the Tuesday evening debate with the exception of the Vetevendosje candidate and the authorized representative of the current mayor Sami Lushtaku. Lushtaku was unable to attend the debate due to his detention on suspicion of war crimes.

Fadil Nura, representing  Lushtaku, was confronted about employing members of his family.

The mayoral candidates tackled the main problems of the Municipality of Skenderaj starting from the high unemployment rate of 67 percent, lack of running water, lack of cemeteries and appropriate facilities promised for families of war veterans or martyrs.

Nura’s nepotism

 Nura, the deputy mayor of the Municipality of Skenderaj, was accused of hiring Lushtakus’s wife, sister and brother, without adequate qualifications relevant to the position.

Nura initially hired the mayor’s wife, Qamile Lushtaku, as a teacher in primary school in Kline e Eperme,  then later on in the secondary professional school in Skenderaj, without any required training.

He also employed the mayor’s brother at the same school although he did did not qualify for the job position.

Nura also used his political influence to employ his sister, too. She got a job position at the children with special needs school in Prekaz. Like the previously mentioned family members, she too didn’t have the required qualification at the time of employment.

However, Nura denied these allegations insisting his family members had the required qualifications.

 Nura said the current government paved all roads of the town and this good practice will continue during the next mandate.

Former associates now political enemies

Skenderaj citizens were curious to know more about the governing program of Ajnishahe Shala- Halimi representing Vetevendosje. Shala was once a close associate of Lushtaku, but is currently known to be the biggest critic to his local government.

According to citizens of Skenderaj,  Shala-Halimi had cooperated with  Lushtaku on several issues, including the petition for the removal of an imam from a village near Skenderaj. Shala–Halimi was supported by the current mayor and succeeded in imam’s removal. People were interested to know about the hostility between Shala-Halimi and the mayor of Skenderaj, considering that Shala-Halimi’s husband is employed in the same municipality.

But Vetevendosje’s candidate, known for her work in human rights and gender equality, reasoned that the cooperation was in the public interest.

During the debate, Shala – Halimi was often interrupted by applause from the people attending the debate held in the hall of the Hasan Prishtina House of Culture “in Skenderaj.

“Anathematized” by the municipality

The candidate of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) in Skenderaj, Cene Behrami, accused the current local government for discriminating against his village, Klina e Mesme.

According to Behrami, residents of this village have always been tagged as supporters of LDK and economically discriminated as a result. According to Behrami and other citizens from Kline e Mesme, the village lacks paved roads, although the works have begun two days prior to the debate.

Residents of the village have disrupted the work due to the fact that the village lacks sewage, which needs installing before the road pavement is done.

Nura  initially hesitated to say whether the work has started in the village. He justified the lack of investments in this village by stating that the municipality has invested in villages one after another and now it is Klina e Mesme’s turn for investments.

Cene Behrami promised that 30 percent of the municipal budget will be spent on the water supply network for the municipality of Skenderaj.

The candidate who doesn’t know how to open an email

One of the questions asked by citizens present at the debate was whether AAK’s mayoral candidate, Qazim Xani, knows how to communicate through email. Xani acknowledged the fact that he doesn’t use an email to communicate but that this wont restrict him in leading the local government in the next four years.

Abandoned by his members

AKR’s candidate, Ramiz Polaci, unveiled his government program too. However, citizens were more interested to know why AKR members abandoned him and the party in 2007.

BIRN investigations, confirmed by former members of the party’s presidency, say 11 members of the AKR presidency abandoned the party in 2007 on the grounds that Ramiz Polaci had misused the campaign funds at that time for his personal benefits.

Ramiz Polaci, however, denied these accusations saying he is not the reason why members of this party abandoned him and the party. According to him,  AKR is a big political subject and anyone is free to join or leave it.

The Social Movement of Kosovo’s candidate, Musli Ahmeti, did not attend the debate in Skenderaj due to the health reasons.

Belgrade-backed candidate refuses to participate in the Novo Brdo debate

The Belgrade-backed Serbian Citizens Initiative list candidate for mayor of Novo Brdo was the only one who did not take part in the TV debate of “Life in Kosovo.” Candidates from this party refused to participate in similar debates in Partes, Ranillug and Kllokot.

The mayoral candidates of the municipality of Novo Brdo, which debates on RTV2, on Monday, spared no promises for their fellow citizens.

Avdullah Gashi from AAK said he would fight corruption and the mismanagement in the municipality whereas Srdjan Jovanovic of “Buducnost za Novobrdo ” (Future for Novo Brdo) said he would improve the life of citizens

Ranko Makic, of the SLS, praised his party for good governance in municipalities where it holds power. He implied that his governing of the municipalities would not be infused with politics, but would be committed to the welfare of citizens.

Nazmi Siarina, PDK’s candidate, said he would restructure the municipality by reducing the number of directors from nine to five. Siarina planed to create three separate municipal sectors, while Zeke Zeka from Vetevendosje promised 24-hour water and 50 flats for new couples with housing problems.

The current mayor, Ymer Bajrushi, of LDK, praised the work he has done as the mayor of this municipality in the last two mandates, saying he was running for the third term in order to continue with the good work.

The mayor has no plans for agriculture

Ymeri did not have any actual projects for the development of agriculture, while AAK’s mayoral candidate, Ymer Gashi accused Bajrush Avdullah of neglecting the Director of Agriculture’s participation in the allocation of subsidies to farmers. This, however is carried out directly by the deputy mayor who provides the other directors with a list specifying which farmers should receive agricultural subsidies.

In contracts to the above, other candidates did have plans for  agricultural development.  Jovanovic  said he would increase the budget of this sector by 50 percent and help build dairy milk farms.

Zeka also promised a budget increase for agriculture, while Siarina said he would establish a municipal office, which would help farmers design their projects by providing support from the municipal finances.

Makic said he would increase subsidies for agriculture and build small livestock farms.

Dysfunctional sewage

The SLS representative complained about the municipal sewage network, considering it disastrous and stated that it needs reconstructing.

Zeka said that the sewage system is not functioning properly, citing the case of Llabjan village, where sewage flows into the private fields. Gazeta Jeta ne Kosove wrote about this issue in September.

Jovanovic and Gashi  guaranteed solutions to the sewage issue. Mayor Ymeri said that in general the sanitation network is functional, while acknowledging that there may be defects which require repair.

Water shortage

Novo Brdo  has no company that manages the water supply, although the current mayor implied that in 2011 the Kosovo government had decided that the Hidromorava  regional water company would manage the water supply.

Ymer complained that this responsibility has not been taken yet by this company, while  Siarina said Hidromorava would not be able to do so due to the high maintenance cost.

Zeka accused the current mayor for not convincing Hidromorava to take responsibility.

Candidates promised to open new clinics and extend the operating hours for the family medical center, but Ymer told his opponents not to promise things that are financially impossible.

The health center in Novo Brdo currently closes at 4 pm.

Kacanik’s palm trees have dried out; flowers promised as substitute

Most of the 23 palm trees planted in Kacanik in 2011, at the time when the municipality was led by now-fugitive Xhabir Zharku, have dried out, whereas the candidates vying for mayor of Kacanik, have agreed that the project was a failure.

Kacanik’s palm trees, planted alongside river Nerodime in 2011, heated the debate between the candidates vying for the mayor of this municipality. Most candidates said that the project was a failed one because most of the trees are dried out because of lack of maintenance.

It was only Selim Reka (LDK) who had a milder approach the palm tree project, noting that the project has been partially successful, bearing in mind that some of the trees are still healthy because cafe owners take care of them.

Apart from Reka, the following are also vying for the mayor of Kacanik: Besim Ilazi (PDK), Afide Kuka (LVV) Avni Tafili (Justice Party), Bardhyl Mjaku (AKR), and Tahit Caka (AAK).

Caka who came second during the extraordinary elections in 2012, was not present in the “Life in Kosovo” debate. According to the AAK branch in Kacanik, Caka was on an official trip abroad.

Bardhyl Mjaku (AKR) has admitted to have been an internet service provider and “dreambox” dealer, which are illegal in Kosovo, since they steal TV channels from other platforms with special satellite devices. Despite this illegal activity, he promised that should he be elected a mayor, he will not breach the law again.

The main problems faced by Kacanik citizens are the water supply, sewage system, road infrastructure, for which the Ilazi from PDK promised improvements.

Candidates running for mayor of Kacanik have promised progress in agriculture, the fight against corruption, as well as investment in healthcare and education.

Modest promises from Gracanica candidates

Three of the four candidates running for the mayor of Gracanica, among them the current Mayor Bojan Stojanovic from Savez Kosovskih Srba (League of Kosovo Serbs ), did not give many promises during the “Life in Kosovo” municipal debate.  They provided no solution to the problem of stray dogs, considered a nationwide problem. The fourth candidate, the Serbian Citizens’ Initiative, did not take part in the debate.

Stojanovic was proud to say that during his mandate he has bought a positive atmosphere to the town.

Stojanovic boasted mostly about the municipal diagnostic center, citing it as the most advanced in the region and pride not only for Gracanica, but Kosovo too.

“We even opened a zoo,” said Stojanovic, while citing other municipal achievements.

However, the municipality’s issues go beyond than this.

Stojanovic’s rival Slobodan Denic from the Simonida Initiative  his political entity would prepare a long term plan for 24-hour water  and install more waste containers so people don’t throw trash on the streets.

Anton Smajli from PDK promised equal access to all citizens regardless of their religion or ethnicity.

No solution for stray dogs

Gracanica candidates consider the problem of stray dogs as a national problem, arguing they cannot kill or turn them away.

Denic proposed to castrate them and put them in shelter, while Smajli accused the municipality of not financially supporting a shelter proposed by an organization which collected 50 to 60 dogs.

Stojanovic disagreed with Smajl’s statement, saying the organization has only changed its location.

Water supply flows through carcinogenic pipes

Smajli accused the municipal government of the using asbestos pipes for water supply, pointing out that such material is carcinogen.

Smajli made clear that if he  were elected  mayor he would completely remove these pipes and replace them with new ones, a project that would cost 1 million euros.

Stojanovic said that water supply is managed by regional companies and not by the municipality.

The debate touched upon the garbage issue and Denic proposed to open a new landfill. Smajl disagreed, saying garbage is not a major issue in Gracanica.

Stojanovic promises investments in Kishnica

The current president promised the residents of Kishnica new schools and the decentralization of health and education workers from the capital budget, all paid by the Gracanica municipality. Stojanovic said that the road to the village will also be paved.

Smajli  the municipality has no means to build a new school, but the Minister of Education and Prime minister promised to help building it.

Gracanica plays with Juventus

Young players of  Gracanica football team have visited Italy and played a few games with their peers of Lazio, Juventus and Turin. Mayor Stojanovic said the development of sport is his priority. He said the Partizan Belgrade football team was interested in taking three of these young players.

Candidates also promised more playgrounds, scholarships for talented individuals and security cameras in schools.

Arguing and noise in Ferizaj

The debate program “Life in Kosovo” held on Wednesday, in Ferizaj, was with a lot of ado including arguments. Agim Aliu’s supporters cheered like they were in a stadium, causing the reaction of other candidates’ supporters.

The current mayor of Ferizaj, Agim Aliu, said he will withdraw from the race if proven he has misused public money during his term of 16 months.

Bashkim Fazliu from the Civic Initiative for Ferizaj replied by accusing the mayor of misusing millions of Euros and called the Ferizaj Municipality a champion in lawbreaking.

The debate held at the Ferizaj theatre, “Adriana Abdullahu,” served as an arena for supporters of candidates, especially between PDK and Vetevendosje supporters.

Ali’s government was heavily criticized by AAK’s candidate, Xhavit Zariqi, and Bashkim Fazliu from the Civic Initiative. Both of them were previously members of the PDK.

Bashkim Fazliu left PDK in April last year, while Zariqi left the party after 10 years. PDK was founded in October 1999.

Ferizaj is third biggest town in Kosovo with 108,000 residents and its municipality budget for next year will be worth 23 million Euros.

Citizens owe 6.5 million euro in municipal property tax. The candidates were asked how they would collect these debts.

While Agim Aliu said his administration started collecting this debt, while rest of the candidates gave only theoretical answers regarding the property tax debt.

Agim Aliu was asked again whether the real mayor behind the scene is Elmi Reçica, member of the parliament. Ali replied by saying he runs the house, but claimed Reçica helps him coordinate relations with central institutions.

Director of Economy and Finance in Ferizaj Municipality, Mustafe Grainca, explained to BIRN during the summer that capital investment of the Ministry of Infrastructure worth 3.5 million Euros, was made  possible thanks to the commitment of Mayor Ali and MP Recica.

Hysen Ibrahimi from AKR was asked about the road to his house, which was paved.

Hyseni,  head of the municipal department of Economic Development from 2007 to 2010, while his party was in coalition with the PDK, said the road pavement ends right in front of his house because it is the last house in the neighborhood and it was commissioned by the Ministry of Transport.

Muharram Svarqa, LDK mayoral candidate, was asked to explain why he always mentioned bribery during his electoral rallies. Svarqa said everyone knows that in order to win a public bid you have to pay ten percent of its value. He said he would fight this phenomenon within 24 hours if elected.

The candidate of the Partia e Drejtesise (Justice Party) was asked whether he knows the city well enough since he hasn’t lived in Ferizaj since 2001. Ardian Sejdiu said he knows the city enough to govern with it.

Xhavit Zariqi, AAK’s mayoral candidate, former member of PDK, was asked whether he is going to change his political party again. Zariqi replied that’s not necessary since he is going to win the race.

Hysen Ibrahimi from AKR did not feel great when asked about an illegal building built in Ferizaj by the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, a member of his party. Hyseni said there is no indictment against any of his party officials.

Svarqa said it is time to change the image of the politician faces criminal trials,  flees  from justice abroad and leads campaigns from prison.  Fazliu said he entered the race to bring the light that’s at the end of the tunnel.

Illegal buildings, gas stations inside in residential areas, illegal landfills and other disturbing phenomena were part of the debate.

There are around 1300 illegal buildings and numerous gas stations inside residential areas.

Mayor Agim Aliu had to explain once again why he cut 50 trees, planted in the city center, to make space for construction. He said it was a legitimate action, but his opponents reacted strongly considering unilateral action of the mayor.

Fazliu filed charges against Aliu for cutting these trees.

AKR’s candidate, Ibrahim Hyseni, part of the ruling coalition in the municipality, said LDK and AAK voted the draft regulation for town’s center. Candidates of the opposition parties in Ferizaj municipal assembly said the project did not include cutting of the trees.

Vetevendosje’s candidate, Faton Topalli, said the construction in the city center started on June 15 and should have finished within 48 days, in early August. Work is still continuing as of late October.

Gazeta Jeta ne Kosove investigated capital projects of the local government and concluded that most of them exceeded the budget limits and were delayed.

Some family members of Ferizaj candidates agreed to talk about their families. The wives of the AKR and PDK candidates said they keep the money their husbands make.

Water for votes in Drenas

Drenas mayoral candidates promised access to running water to a large number of residents, as only 10 percent of its citizens have access to the network. The current mayor of the Drenas municipality, Nexhat Demaku is running against Izet Abdyli from LDK, Rifat Demaku from Vetevendosje and Shaban Hasi from AAK. The candidates attacked one another during the debate.

Jeta Xharra, host of “Life in Kosovo,” asked Demaku the same question three times without receiving an answer.

The question was simple: What message would you like to give to people who have manipulated votes in previous elections?

He said, “All manipulated votes not only the PDK”.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Christopher Dell, said during the 2010 local elections  that  “industrial theft of votes” took place, while most of the irregularities were reported in Drenas and Skenderaj.

Tough questions were addressed to other candidates by citizens, BIRN and GAP researchers.

Shaban Hasi, AAK’s candidate, was asked why he was arrested in Switzerland in 2008 for misuse of disability pension –  to which he responded by saying that he was a suspect but everything got cleared up.

Rifat Demaku from Vetevendosje  was asked why he doesn’t carry the Albanian flag on his suit like the rest of the members of his party –  to which he responded by saying “I carry the flag in my heart.”

Izzet Ibrahim from the Civic Initiative for Drenas was asked about a shopping mall he built during his time as Mayor of Drenas in 2000-2002, which is considered a failed project.

Ibrahim said the mall only needs to be put into operation.

People were interested to hear more regarding the water supply, as only 10 percent of Drenas residents have access to the public water network.

Candidates promised that they will solve this problem during the next four years if elected.

All candidates gave various solutions, mostly theoretical, to problems Drenas people face every day.

The debate continued with arguments on various issues.

Residents mentioned rock quarries that threaten their lives, while the c Demaku said he will continue to improve sanitation and water supply network.

All but the LDK’s candidate agreed for their families to be interviewed.

 

Suspected law-breakers among mayoral candidates in Dragash

There are eight candidates running for the mayor of Dragash. Among them are those charged with the misuse of their official position and  tax evasion.

The candidates accused the current mayor of Dragash of corruption, misuse of official position and bad management of the municipality. Meanwhile, the current mayor and PDK’s mayoral candidate, Salim Januzaj, tried to fight these accusations.

All but one candidate for mayor took part in the debate. Safet Kushi from the Bosnian Initiative CDU did not participate.

Other candidates were: Bledi Kurtishi from VETVENDOSJE, Fatmir Mehmeti from LDK, Nexhat Isufi from Democratic Union, Nuhi Tairovci from VAKAT, Salim Jonuzi from PDK, Selami Sait from AAK and Nevxhet Tahiri from the National Front.

In the first two minutes, candidates unveiled their municipality programs, in which all promised to improve issues with the supply of running water, infrastructure, state of education and tourism development, but failed to explain the financing of these promises.

The disagreements were mainly among LDK, National Front, Democratic Union and the PDK candidates, while Nuhia Tairovci from VAKAT was more or less silent.

A business center full of garbage

Salim Januzaj, from PDK, praised himself for building the business center in Dragash, but remained speechless when the host of the program reminded him that the center was filled with garbage. He failed to provide an answer when asked about the removal of the garbage.

Fatmir Mehmeti of LDK, said Salim Januzaj has in fact created another illegal landfill by building the business center; there is a total of 20 illegal landfills in Dragash.

The National Front candidate admitted his wrongdoing when admitting to not paying his parking tax since. His reasoning behind this is the continuous disagreement with the town’s municipal current government. Xhevxhet Tahiri has been failing to pay parking tax for ten years now.

Salim Jonuzi was once again humiliated when asked whether his morals allow him to run for another mayoral mandate knowing he has been charged with the abuse of power.

Jonuzi declared not guilty to the charges.

Furthermore, the National Front candidate admitted he doesn’t pay the property tax either, hence failed to explain how he would collect the huge property tax debts of Dragash citizens.

Tahiri promised to pay his debt if elected mayor.

Selami Saiti from AAK stated he aided fellow citizens to bypass queues in the Prizreni hospital.
He works at the Radiology Department of the Daut Mustafa Hospital in Prizren.

The debate touched upon other issues, such as violence in schools of Dragash and low participation of women in education and employment. All candidates promised to work these issues.

Pulitzer Prize-Winner Leads BIRN Training in Macedonia

The Pulitzer Prize-winning US journalist and editor, John Ullmann, was the key trainer at BIRN’s investigative journalism training session in Berovo, eastern Macedonia, at the weekend.

Fourteen Macedonian journalists spent the weekend sharpening their investigative reporting skills and gaining insights into ways of gathering and managing information and writing up their stories.

Thoughts were also shared on journalistic research methods and ethics.

Ullmann praised journalists in countries like Macedonia who pursued their stories despite pressure on them to stop.

“I have nothing but admiration for any journalists anywhere who continue to try to do what’s right against the pressure that exists to keep them from doing it,” Ullmann told BIRN.

“I am sure there are many more journalists who care about the craft of journalism and about doing it right, the best they can, and I just hope they’ll keep at it,” he said.

Ullmann, 68, was the first executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors, IRE, an international network of journalists, and started most of its programmes during his six years there, including The IRE Journal, its database, and other projects.

Projects that he supervised have won more than four dozen awards, including the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. Two other stories that he worked on were Pulitzer finalists in other categories.

Speaking about the importance of journalism in a democracy, Ullmann said that it was crucial to hold those in power accountable for their actions and to boost public debate on important issues.

“There is not a single example that I am aware of in the world today where democracy works well without a strong free press. And those in power, who have the ability to quash it, must realise that those journalists are playing an important role, even when they do something ‘I don’t like’,” Ullman said.

“I am sure that President Obama probably has a whole list of journalists he would like to ship over here and not have to put up with anymore for the rest of his life,” Ullmann continued.

“But he knows he does not have that kind of power. Nor does he wage economic war on them, nor does he come around and try to get them fired from their jobs, or any kind of thing that sometimes happens in Macedonia,” he said.

As part of the training, journalists also heard a lecture on public information access from German Filkov, the co-founder of the Macedonian NGO Centre for Civil Communications, one of the leading anti-corruption NGOs in the country.

Filkov is an analyst and researcher in anti-corruption work and institutional transparency and has trained more than 250 journalists in investigative journalism and reporting on corruption.

The participants also picked up useful tips on how to pitch a story from Ana Petruseva, BIRN’s Macedonia country director and Balkan Insight’s managing editor.

The training, aimed at empowering Macedonian journalists with key investigative reporting skills, is part of BIRN’s ‘Project for Investigative Journalism and Cooperation Between Media and Civil Society’, part of a USAID programme for strengthening independent media in Macedonia.

Electoral debate: Klina

Three out of seven candidates vying to be the mayor of Klina, among which the current mayor Sokol Bashota, have received apartments built from the Municipality. However, Fadil Gashi (LDK) and Enver Berisha (AAK), beneficiaries of these pricey gifts, engaged in fierce discussion with Bashota during the “Life in Kosovo” debate. One of the candidates, Prend Buzhala (PShDK) and the incumbent mayor Bashota did not allow their families to provide short profiles for them, because, according to them, they did not want to politicize their families.

The candidates running for the mayor of this municipality are Sokol Bashota (PDK), Fadil Gashi (LDK), Hajzer Idrizi (LVV), Enver Berisha (AAK), Avni Gashi (AKR), Prend Buzhala (PShDK) and FIlip Berisha (PDI)
The current mayor and Bashota inaugurated the new water factory and the building of the culture centre during the electoral campaign.

Challenged by host Jeta Xharra, on the reasons why they were inaugurated during the campaign, Bashota said that the project were completed during his mandate, although he has made this electoral pledge for two years now.

The 2013 municipal report of the GAP Institute reveals that Klina, with six rivers flowing in its territory has only 23 per cent of its population connected to the public water supply network.

The new water factory will be ready in February 2014, although the municipality has failed to pay its debt of around 300,000 euro to few Dutch and Kosovar construction companies, which has become an obstacle in launching the plant.

During the debate, Bashota said that he had paid the last installment of his debt two days ago, adding that in ten-days time citizens of Klina will have plenty of drinking water.

Klina does not have a Culture Centre, and nor does it have a library. Most of the candidates promised that they will accommodate a library inside the new building of the Culture House. Klina has an overpopulated kindergarten, where the number of children is well above fifty.

The 2013 municipal report from Gap Institute notes that the municipality of Klina has spent more money on the maintenance of cars then on the maintenance of schools, with mayor Bashota’s 67,000 euro Range Rover being one of them.

Filip Berisha (PDI) pledged that the municipality would have only three departments, should he come to power. This model of governance, according to him, was a European one. At the moment, Klina has six municipal departments, renowned for their large spending of public money.

Prend Buzhala (PShDK) was challenged for his political turns he had made in his career, switching between three political parties before. Buzhala said that even the English politician Winston Churchill has changed three parties, but not his principles, claiming that the same is true for himself.

The Vetevendosje candidate, Hajzer Idrizi, answered a question about the equipment in the Youth Centre after it closed down. Idrizi said that all the equipment belonging to the said centre were there and that nobody has touched them.

Enver Berisha (AAK), running for multiple times for this political party, spoke about the reasons why he still is the candidate for the AAK. Berisha said that he would have been the winner of previous elections, had the process not been manipulated, and that is why he enjoys the faith of his political party to run again for Klina. He said that Bashota’s victory in previous elections was embarrassing.

In the meantime, Bashota labeled Berisha from AAK and Gashi from LDK as “veterans of losing”, warning them that the same will happened again during the November 3 elections.