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EU and WBIF subsidize construction of wastewater treatment plant in Gjilan -
The investment is co-financed by the EBRD and the EIB -
EBRD invests to improve water and river quality in Kosovo
The Gjilan wastewater development project in Kosovoco-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), received additional financial support from bilateral donors for the Investment framework for the Western Balkans (WBIF).
An agreement on the 2.5 million euro grant was signed today in Pristina by Sergiy Maslichenko, head of the EBRD in Kosovo, and Hekuran Murati, Kosovar Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Johannes Stenbaek Madsen, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Office in Kosovo, and representatives of the regional water company Hidromorava.
The funds will be used for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant as well as the rehabilitation and expansion of the existing wastewater and sanitation network in the municipality of Gjilan. The EBRD provided a loan of €10 million for the project in 2019. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a further loan of €10 million.
Once built, the new treatment plant will significantly reduce pollution resulting from sewage flowing into nearby rivers and provide Gjilan residents with access to cleaner water. It will also contribute to improving environmental conditions and public health, while mitigating the effects of climate change in the water and wastewater sector in Kosovo.
The water quality of Kosovo’s rivers has deteriorated in recent decades due to the lack of adequate treatment of sewage and solid waste. The EBRD is helping Kosovo address these challenges and invest in modern environmental infrastructure. This will be the second wastewater treatment plant supported by the EBRD and EU in the country; the other is being built in Mitrovica South, Vushtrri and surrounding areas.
THE Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) supports socio-economic development and EU membership in the Western Balkans by providing financing and technical assistance for strategic investments. It is a joint initiative of the European Union, financial institutions, bilateral donors and Western Balkan governments.
The EBRD has invested €601 million in Kosovo since it began operations there in 2012. The Bank’s strategic priorities in Kosovo are to promote the green economy, support the competitive development of the private sector and foster regional integration.
