In an event organized by the European Union Office and the Municipality of Prishtina in honor of the World Environment Day, the EU Ambassador, Thomas Szunyog, together with the Mayor of Prishtina, Përparim Rama, planted 100 linden trees around the stairs of Arbëria in capital.

During this activity, Ambassador Szunyog said that Kosovo has stagnated in environmental protection, including water pollution, air and soil pollution, and called for improving the efficiency of Termokos.

According to him, in the last seven years the European Union has invested 100 million euros in Kosovo in terms of environment.

"Today's activity is part of the Sustainable Development Week in Kosovo which is a contribution to the implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans in Kosovo.

I would like to emphasize that Kosovo has made some progress, but it still faces major environmental challenges and problems, including air, water and soil pollution.

For its part, since 2015, the EU has invested more than 100 million euros in environmental protection.

Environmental protection includes improving the efficiency of Termokos and reducing CO2 emissions, as well as improving heating for 60,000 people, co-investing in the Shkabaj water treatment plant, improving drinking water quality and providing some of initial air quality monitors ", said Szunyog.

The mayor of the capital Përparim Rama said that the municipality is implementing an agreement with the World Bank to improve air pollution by bringing solar panels of energy production in the capital for about 35MW which will be used to heat citizens during the months of winter.

"When we talk about improving air pollution, so when we talk in this aspect we have had cooperation with various projects but also the other one like 'Solar for Kosovo' where a large number of solar panels are now in the process of design and installation with 35MW of energy will be created and used for heating the capital, it is the largest project in Europe of this type, it has additional capacity for another 40MW, so in the second phase, we are also working with the World Bank. to also transform the way private homes are heated, from these ways of heating that pollute the air by burning coal or wood, to use these.

Cost, or heaters that are more environmentally friendly, enable up to 95% to protect the air.

In this activity were also involved children who contributed to the planting of linden trees.

The Arbëria stairs now have 100 new trees planted from the bottom up.

Through a symbolic action, it was said that the planting of trees today contributed to make Prishtina a greener city.