Life in Kosovo debates the level of corruption in Kosovo Institutions
This Thursday, Life in Kosovo will broadcast a debate on the network of corruption in Kosovo.
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Every Thursday starting from 20:30, Radio Television Kosovo, RTK, broadcasts the TV debate show "Life in Kosovo", a joint production of BIRN and RTK.
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Life in Kosovo Omnibus
24 September 2009 Life in Kosovo broadcast a series of reports covering key issues affecting education, health and justice.
In education, the questions asked included: Does the number of students affect the quality of studies? Why was there a sudden increase in the number of students admitted into Pristina University?
Were appointments of staff in some public schools politically influenced? How rewarding is it for the writers of academic books to publish their work when their publications are routinely photocopied in nearby faculties?
The question asked about healthcare in Kosovo was: Are the doctors at the University Clinical Centre of Kosova adequately protected against contagious diseases?
Finally, the justice-related problems were: How is it possible that the same flat was sold to six different people? Is there any risk that the victims of such fraud may seek justice through Sharia law?
Jeta Abazi began the show with a report on the Ministry for Education, Science and Technology’s recent decision to increase the number of students at the University of Pristina from 11,000 to 15,000.
Asked whether this decision was based on an analysis of the prospects for employment opportunities, Muje Rugova, the Dean of the University, claimed that had not been personally involved in the process, but that both the quality and quantity of students is reasonable, since in Kosovo “we must obey the law”.
Furthermore, Education, Science and Technology Minister Enver Hoxhaj noted that, as stated in the UNDP’s Youth Development Report, there is a clear need for expansion in higher education and the prioritisation of those sciences with higher demand.
Myzafere Limani, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, claimed that any increase in intake by a department of the country’s only public university must be based on labour-market research and statistics for future employment opportunities, none of which had been done in this case.
However, Hoxhaj responded that the increase in enrolment figures was based on a number of studies.
Isa Elezaj from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science argued that the university’s infrastructure is “terrible” and work must be carried out, especially to create more space for laboratories, classrooms and to expand the library.
Further, Ajvaz Berisha from the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports claimed that his faculty requires very specific conditions, and as they only have one gym, they are in desperate need of more space.
In the Faculty of Technology, suffer from the lack of space every day, as it creates competition to go to classes early to find space, as those who come later often find themselves outside of the classroom, Abazi said.
Also, many students complain that the library has insufficient space and, connectedly, is usually too loud to facilitate study. In reply, Minister Hoxhaj claimed that the Faculty of Technology has enough space to allow some to be converted into study areas or a library.
Abazi ended the discussion of the University of Pristina by repeating the claims of its new Dean, who has said that everything will be solved within 100 days.
The second report on Kosovo’s education system was on the politicisation of staff appointments. Life in Kosovo journalist Muhamet Hajrullahu presented cases of staff appointed and fired in state-funded schools at the whims of their principals.
Qemal Mazreku, a geography teacher from Malishevo, remains unemployed since the principal of Abdul Frasheri high school, Agim Samadraxha, announced a job vacancy and employed another geography teacher. Mazreku accused the principal of unfair dismissal.
However, Samadraxha claims the opposite, saying that Mazreku’s contract had simply ended without being extended, because he had awarded many undeserved grades to students.
Hajrullahu went on to highlight other schools with personnel problems. For instance, Ahmet Plana, who applied for the position of principal at Dardania primary school in Pristina, claimed he was not given the job due to “political interventions behind the official announcements”.
From the other side, the Director of Education for Pristina municipality, Agim Gashi, refuted Plana’s allegations, denying that he had ever been involved in political agreements in the appointment of school staff.
Gashi also said that the selection of Dardania primary school’s principal was not unusual, since each appointment requires that an announcement be published and applicants are reviewed by committee.
Hajrullahu then introduced the case of primary and secondary school staff appointments and elections in Ferizaj municipality.
Ramadan Asllani, a candidate for principal of a school in Ferizaj, claimed that he has fulfilled the criteria for the job, and surpassed the educational requirements. Similarly, Nebih Mehemti was not chosen by a committee for a job in a Ferizaj public school, with those selected not even possessing a university degree.
In response, representatives from Ferizaj’s Educational Department claimed that the appointed principals and vice-principals have met the criteria for their positions.
Sylejman Bytyqi from the same department, stated that “political preferences were not taken into account in the selection of school principals in this city.”
Remaining broadly within education, Life in Kosovo went on to cover copyright. Hajrullahu presented the case of Hilmi Ismaili, a professor from the University of Pristina’s Law Faculty, who published a book five years ago.
Up until now, it has sold only one thousand copies because photocopy stores are selling it to students at a lower price.
Ismaili said that he doesn’t regret writing the book for his students, but complained that authors’ rights are not protected in Kosovo.
According to Kosovo’s copyright legislation, an individual who makes a copy of a book without the author’s permission and makes a profit up to €10,000 should be punished with between three months to five years in prison.
Hajrullahu pointed out that this is clearly not being implemented. If each student at the University of Prishtina buys four or five books per year at around €5 per copy, Hajrullahu estimated that, given the number of students at the university, photocopy stores must be illegally profiting by much more than €10,000.
The responsible officials at the District Court have not yet penalised a single photocopy store because they believe that Kosovo’s copyright law has not yet been finished, and they cannot act without a ratified law.
Also, Hajrullahu continued, the Ministry of Culture still has not created a department for intellectual rights, and so professors do not seem passionate about writing books for others’ use as the authors will not benefit. However, students find that they must buy photocopied versions because they are cheaper than the original, which they often cannot afford.
Moving from education to the healthcare sector, Life in Kosovo presented a story by journalist Edona Musa on the difficulty for doctors at public institutions to protect themselves against contagious disease. In such conditions, Edona asked, how can they protect the patients?
Muharrem Arifi, head nurse at the Dermatology Department at the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo (UCCK), had been infected with tuberculosis (TB) at work. Edona then explained how 14 of Arifi’s colleagues had been infected as a result of inadequate equipment for assisting patients.
Since the department dealing with TB is separated from the Dermatology Department only by a single wall, and the number of TB patients is high, dermatological doctors and nurses are apparently at risk of infection.
However, UCCK’s director, Jusuf Ulaj, claimed that the separation of the two clinics is sufficient for the moment, since there have been no new cases of infection amongst staff since the wall was built.
The final story in the show profiled one apartment that has been sold to more than one person, and all now claim that the property belongs to them. The report showed Latif Latifi, a former miner, who had bought the flat in a building constructed by an American company.
However, the company had also sold the same flat to a prosecutor, Agim Krasniqi, who is currently living there. According to the building plans, the floor in question should have had three apartments, but there are only two.
As a result, Mr. Krasniqi claimed that Mr. Latifi does not own property in that building, since he has been deceived by the constructor of the building, and not by him.
Mr. Latifi has passed his complaint on to the Ombudsperson, who has sent an official request to the Head of the Supreme Court three times, but is still awaiting a reply. The Head of the Supreme Court stated that they have received the request, which has yet to be examined.
Life in Kosovo also contained two segments as part of ‘The Week’s Highlights’. One covered the increased efficiency of Kosovo’s courts and the other covered a generous initiative by a Prizren citizen who donated his land for a health centre to be constructed on.
In the ‘Culture in Kosovo’ section, Arif Muharremi spoke about the film festivals that took place in September.
Life in Kosovo is a co-production between Kosovo Public Television,
RTK and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN. It is
broadcast every Thursday, starting at 20:20.
Report on Kosovo`s Healthcare System
Monitoring report on all primary, secondary and tertiary (University Clinical Center of Kosovo, UCCK) healthcare institutions in Pristina, Prizren, Peja, Mitrovica, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Gjakova, Klina, Decan, Istog and Vushtrri.
BIRN Report on Monitoring the Education System
Report on monitoring the elementary and high schools in Prishtina: Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Peja and Gjilan
Analytical report of the situation and the problems in the University of Prishtina
REPORT: Monitoring the Courts
Monitoring the work and administration of courts in Prishtina, Peja, Mitrovica, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Vushtrri and Skenderaj
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The opinions expressed in Balkan Insight are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.
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