Arton Konushevci, chair of the Committee on Social Welfare, Labour, Family, the Values of the Liberation War, Victims of Wartime Sexual Violence and Missing Persons in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, has responded to today’s reports and discussions about the rejection of an amendment that would have allocated an additional 1 million euros for prostheses and other medical devices for war invalids.
He explained that coverage of the cost of prostheses for Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) war invalids has been in place since 2023, and that in December 2024 the scheme was extended to civilian war invalids as well.
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According to Konushevci, beneficiaries can choose the institution where they want to receive the service, and treatment costs are covered in full.
He said that, to date, the costs have been covered for everyone who has needed this service.
“According to the information I have, there are currently no requests for prostheses awaiting treatment. Funding for this service will continue in the future,” he said.
Konushevci stressed that the amendment to provide additional budget funding not passing does not mean that prostheses for war invalids have been left without funding.
Reports on treatment and reimbursement show that 103 people have benefited to date, with approved reimbursements totalling 1,488,631.83 euros.
Of this amount, 58 KLA war invalids have received approved reimbursements worth 1,022,570.01 euros.
Meanwhile, 45 civilian war invalids have benefited from approved reimbursements worth 466,061.82 euros.
The committee chair also said that the Kurti Government had made this funding an institutional mechanism through the Health Insurance Fund. According to him, this means its administration no longer depends on the decision of a single person, as it had in the past.
“The financial support being sought through the amendment is part of a mechanism that has been in operation since 2023 and will continue to be implemented,” Konushevci said.
Speaking about the debate in the Assembly, he said the issue had also been used for political interests. According to him, opposition members of the Committee on Social Welfare, Labour, Family, the Values of the Liberation War, Victims of Wartime Sexual Violence and Missing Persons had also been informed about the existing funding mechanism.
Konushevci said that during committee meetings, one member had said: “Let this issue go to the Budget Committee and let them not vote for it, so it stays with them.”
He said such a position creates the impression that the debate on a sensitive issue is being exploited for political gain and social media attention, rather than focusing on beneficiaries’ actual needs.
He underlined that war invalids and civilian war invalids need dignified treatment, uninterrupted support and accurate information about their rights. The issue, he said, should be addressed with institutional responsibility, not through statements that could cause uncertainty among beneficiaries.
“As committee chair, I will continue to work, within the scope of our parliamentary powers, to oversee the implementation of this mechanism and to improve the treatment of all categories affected by the war,” Konushevci wrote on Facebook.
