The Government of Kosovo chaired by Prime Minister Albin Kurti held Wednesday its regular meeting approving fifteen Draft Laws, Regulations, and other important Decisions.
Prime Minister Kurti initially expressed his condolences to all family members who have lost their loved ones to the COVID-19 virus and thanked healthcare workers and police officers for their commitment in dealing with the pandemic. He also urged citizens to vaccinate adding that Kosovo has sufficient doses of vaccines reminding that so far health authorities have administered about one million vaccines.
According to the Government’s press release the first decision that received the approval of the government cabinet in today’s meeting was the amendment and supplementation of the Legislative Program for 2021. With the amendments approved today, the deadline for the approval of these draft laws by the Government is changed:
1. Draft Law on Integrated Prevention Pollution Control will be approved by the Government by 31.12.2021;
2. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Nature Protection will be approved by the Government by 15.12.2021;
3. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Chemicals will be approved by the Government by 30.11.2021;
4. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Waste will be approved by the Government by 30.11.2021;
5. Draft Law on Immovable Property Cadastre will be approved by the Government by 20.12.2021.
While the following Draft Laws have been withdrawn from the Legislative Program for 2021:
1. Draft Law on Social Housing;
2. Draft Law on Administration of Residential Buildings in Joint Ownership; and
3. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Waters of Kosovo.
In order to harmonize the legal provisions with the Law on Minor Offenses, with the proposal of the Ministry of Health, the following Draft Laws have been approved:
1. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Reproductive Health;
2. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Protection of Breastfeeding;
3. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Tobacco Control;
4. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Tissue and Cell Transplantation;
5. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Health Insurance;
6. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Emergency Medical Service;
7. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Public Health;
8. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Health;
9. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Blood and Blood Components;
10. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Prevention and Fighting against Infectious Diseases;
11. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Medicinal Products and Medical Devices;
12. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Termination of Pregnancy;
13. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Health Inspectorate;
14. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Sanitary Inspectorate of Kosovo;
15. Draft Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on the Rights and Responsibilities of Kosovo Residents in the Health Care.
In today’s meeting, the government cabinet has approved the Regulation on amending and supplementing the Regulation on the Areas of Administrative Responsibility of the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministries. The approved amendments stipulate that, in cases where the area of administrative responsibility of two (2) or more ministries has been merged into one ministry, the minister may appoint up to ten (10) political advisors and up to five (5) external political advisors. In the case of the merger of the ministries, in some of them, the scope and responsibilities have been significantly expanded. Therefore, as a result, there is a need to increase the capacity of the cabinets of these ministries in order to meet as efficiently as possible the obligations and responsibilities of the merged ministries. In this case, according to the regulation adopted today, the ministers of the five ministries (Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers; Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure; Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade; and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora) can appoint up to 10 political advisors, out of 6 previously authorized, and 5 external advisors (free of charge), out of 3 in advance.
Following the meeting, the Regulation on Treatment of Compensation for the Provision of General Economic Interest services was approved, which defines the criteria and procedures for the provision and treatment of these services according to the Law on State Aid. In particular, the Regulation sets out the criteria for de minimis aid that may be provided to enterprises providing services of general economic interest. The Regulation applies only to the aid provided to public or private enterprises for the provision of a service of general economic interest, which is assigned to them as an obligation under the relevant legal acts.
The Government Cabinet in today’s meeting has approved the decision proposed by the Ministry of Defence to ask the President of the Republic of Kosovo to authorize the Minister of Defence to sign the status of forces agreement (SOFA) between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Northern Macedonia.
After the review, the Consumer Protection Program was approved by the government cabinet in today’s meeting. This program is based on the Law on Consumer Protection and aims to empower the consumer for an active role in the market. The program sets out consumer protection policies for the next four years and aims to ensure the free circulation of safe products in the market.
The Concept Document in the Field of General Product Safety has also been approved. The Concept Document recommends the adoption of the Law regulating the relevant field which will provide a high level of protection of health and safety of consumers who use products to carry out their professional activities. The Law would ensure the placing on the market of exclusively safe products and prevent the production, import and placing on the market of fraudulent products, as well as their export.
In order to implement the decision of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo for the Economic Recovery Package, the measure to support family liquidity, in today’s meeting were allocated budget funds in the amount of 10 million euros which will be distributed after the approval of the list of beneficiaries, according to the terms and conditions determined by a special decision.
Proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, the Government of Kosovo has approved the decision to appoint Samir Bllacaku Director of the Air Navigation Services Agency, who will serve in this position for a five-year term from the day his appointment.