Prishtina – 21 May 2019
Independent Commission for Mines and Minerals reported for the work during 2018 to the Committee. The Chairman of the ICMM Board, Mr. Musa Shabani in his remark informed the participants for the content of the Work Report of the ICMM during 2018 drafted based on the report’s format for reporting of the Independent Agencies to the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. The report is the summary and statement of the ICMM’s work during 2018 with the detailed data in mining industry of the Republic of Kosovo. The report as well contain the work and acvitivity carried out in exploration, mining, processing field, results achieved in 2018, problems and challenges with which this regulatory body has faced during its work, and the objectives for the future. Mr. Shabani presented among other things the ciphers of the review of requests-applications for exploration, mining, and special operations. He said among other things that the field inspections reach the ciphers of 1710, where those of illegal operations were sent with 91 criminal charges in the competent prosecution offices. He presented the cooperation with MED, MIT, MESP, Municipal Inspectors, Kosovo Forestry Agency, Department on Serious Crimes of the Police as the important factor in the ICMM’s success. The organization of the Kosovo-Albania Conference held in Pristina was of special importance because representatives from businesses and institutions from other states such as the USA, Canada, Germany, Italy, Macedonia, Turkey, Montenegro etc. participated there. Challenges in the future remain the reformation of the mining sector, the approval of the new Law on Mines and Minerals and as well the foreseen objectives in the future, we can distinguish:
– Increasing quality and safety at work in mining operations
– Delays in processing on time of the cases submitted to the courts
– Problems with the informal economy in the mining sector and inter-institutional cooperation
– Old debts to the ICMM
– Execution of the Mineral Resource Management Plan.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Mrs. Sala Berisha Shala expressed that the Law has passed as well in the second hearing in the Assembly and it shall be amended, because it is more advanced one. She was interested to respect the duration of the exploration licenses, the applications refused for licensing, the stagnation on issuing the mining licenses for metallic minerals and if the legal framework to prevent illegal operations and development of mining sector is sufficient. The Chairman of the ICMM Board informed her that the duration of licenses is being respected and among other things he emphasized that the Law needs to be reformed as this will impact in increasing revenues and employments. New Law shall facilitate the licensing procedures.
Mr. Dardan Sejdiu, deputy of the Assembly of Kosovo asked about illegal operations, where are more distinct and mineral commodity, where the reply was that they are located in the regions that have rivers (sand and gravel), thus in Peja, Gjakova, Prizren and Kamenica.
Mr. Memli Krasniqi was interested about non-establishment of the One Stop Shop as assistance office for licensing of enterprises within ICMM and limited duration of mining permits by KFA and possibility to find solution between ICMM, Forestry Agency until the Law will be approved.
The Chairman of the Board, Mr. Musa Shabani emphasised that the approval of Law will help the establishment of this office, as the ICMM doesn’t issue licenses without permit of Municipal Assemblies and MESP. So, the term of duration of permits by KFA does not match with that of licenses issued by ICMM and the limited surface area with Administrative Instruction (five hectare) is not suitable for potential investors.
Mrs. Sala Berisha Shala asked among other things for the zones of interest, for which she was informed by Mr. Shabani that the Government didn’t issue any licence until now and the ICMM doesn’t have the legal opportunity to licence these zones (eleven in total).
Independent Commission for Mines and Minerals will continue with more intensity during 2019 to support them and to support in every aspect all those who deal or claim to deal with the mining industry, and at the same time will prohibit, advise and improve all those who are in contradiction with the applicable Law and the rules for mining sector, was finally expressed by Mr. Shabani.
