Taulant Kelmendi, the leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement branch in Peja and a sitting deputy in the Kosovo Assembly, publicly criticized the Mayor of Peja, Gazmend Muhaxheri, following protests by local residents concerning the fire at the Sferkë landfill. In a Facebook post, Kelmendi addressed the perceived inaction of the mayor regarding the difficult situation affecting the area’s inhabitants. Kelmendi asserted that Mayor Muhaxheri was not adequately supporting the citizens impacted by the incident.
He stated that while residents were actively protesting the fire at the Sferkë Landfill, Muhaxheri was reportedly absent from Peja. Instead of being present with the citizens dealing with the consequences of the smoke and the resulting situation, Kelmendi alleged that the mayor was involved in internal political negotiations. Specifically, Kelmendi claimed that Muhaxheri was engaged in “backroom scenes and political bargaining” with his coalition partners from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) to undermine the mayor’s position.
The statements from Kelmendi highlighted a significant divergence in focus between local governance and political maneuvering during a public crisis. The criticism centered on the perceived neglect of the community’s immediate concerns—the environmental and health impact of the landfill fire—in favor of internal political dealings within the municipal administration of Peja.
Topics: #situation #kelmendi #peja
