Prishtina – 15 November 2019
________________________________________
INSTRUCTION FOR GOOD ADMINISTRATION OF THE MINING AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES
The Independent Commission for Mines and Minerals in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Kosovo Forest Agency and Ministry of Local Government Administration – Association of Municipalities organized the next workshop that it has for duty to present “the Instruction for good administration of the mining and environmental activities”.
The Director of the ICMM, Mr Ramiz Krasniqi in the opening remark spoke about the importance of this meeting (workshop) in impact of prevention of illegal activities and especially in the prevention of environmental degradation. He thanked the participants, MESP, Kosovo Forest Agency and Ministry of Local Government Administration and in particular the DISC as well as members of the Kosovo Police.
Mr Avdi Konjuhi, Member of the ICMM Board, after thanking the participants, in the remark, expressed that the ICMM is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and it independently exercises the duties and responsibilities to the sustainable development of mineral resources, in friendly relation to environment and in the function of economic development and social welfare, always based on the applicable legislation for this sector. As such, the ICMM is ranked as one of the largest contributors to the state coffers. Among other things, he expressed that the ICMM’s biggest challenge is fighting illegal operators. He expressed: “However, today we can say with great responsibility that successes regarding this are increasing continuously”.
Mr Besim Zogaj- Director of KFA, in the remark said that “cooperation with the ICMM wass slightly better than with other agencies”.
Mr Azem Rexhaj, Member of the ICMM Board expressed among other things “Competence to prohibit the illegal operators has all to citizen”.
Mr Jahir Gashi in the presentation of the Instruction spoke about the first initiative of the cooperation in 2015 with the Ministry of Justice, MED, Agency for Administration of Sequestrated or Confiscated Assets and the impact on prevention of illegal operators. Among other things, Mr Gashi spoke about the purpose of this Instruction and the responsibilities of the ICMM, MESP, KFA, Municipalities and Policy to the mining resources, competition to licensees, responsibility for environmental degradation, property damage and monitoring and prevention of illegal operators.
Among the concerns of representatives of Municipalities was the small (insufficient) number of inspectors.
In the end, it was concluded that this Instruction will assist in the good administration of the legislation of the Republic of Kosovo to mining activities in order to protect the environment.
