Rama responds to Kërceli over lighting contract: What the €8.50 per metre price covers

Pristina Mayor Përparim Rama has responded to Vetëvendosje MP Ilir Kërceli over his claims about spending under the capital’s smart lighting contract. Rama accused the MP of misleading the public by presenting the cost of a complete service as the price of a strip of tape.

According to Rama, the €8.50 per metre covers materials and transport, the work of the company’s employees and the installation of the tape in the appropriate trench by qualified personnel. He said the price also includes a 10-year warranty under the contract, maintenance as needed for 10 years at no extra charge, and Value Added Tax (VAT). Rama described presenting this entire cost as the price of the tape as a low blow.

The Pristina mayor said the procurement procedure had been reviewed by the Procurement Review Body (OSHP), the Public Procurement Regulatory Commission (KRPP), internal and external auditors, and investigators. He questioned the suggestion that Kërceli could assess the matter better than these institutions and urged the MP to obtain the basic information and read and understand the contract before addressing the public.

Rama also disputed the claim that the tape is used to cordon off the work site. He explained that it is laid underground to signal the presence of electrical cables, with the aim of preventing damage to cables and risks to workers during future excavations. He said the warning serves, among others, the water utility, KEDS, Termokos and any other company or enterprise that may carry out underground work.

Referring to his statements about the prime minister, Rama said he expected attacks against him but warned that he would take legal action over any statement he considered defamatory.

The response came after Kërceli raised concerns about the smart lighting contract. The MP also sought clarification on what would happen to the old lighting poles and the possibility of signing a contract addendum worth around €3 million. He also said he would examine the contract for “Gjergj Bush” square, where he claimed €18,000 had been allocated to relocate and reinstall the bust of former president Ibrahim Rugova.