From 13 to 17 May 2024, a delegation from Pristina got acquainted with the functioning and technologies of the Prague Integrated Rescue System at the New Prague City Hall and the Fire Station No. 3 in Prague 7. The delegation, led by Pristina Mayor Përparim Rama, included the expert directors of the Pristina Security and Emergency Situations, the Pristina Fire and Rescue Service, the Kosovo Regional Police and the Pristina Medical Rescue Service.

The Czech experience and knowledge in the field was shared with the Kosovo partners by the directors of the Prague Rescue Medical System, Prague Municipal Police, Prague Fire Rescue Corps and other experts working in the integrated rescue system of the capital city.

The demonstrations of components of the integrated rescue system were followed by an accompanying corporate programme. The delegation visited Slaný and Polička and got acquainted with the production processes of LINET, THT Polička and EGO Zlín. They saw hospital and medical beds including associated technologies, firefighting superstructures including incorporated firefighting equipment and Tatra chassis, and decontamination and protective equipment.

Other Czech companies met the delegation at a business forum organized under the auspices of the Director of the European Countries Department, Mr. Martin Pospíšil, at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic in Prague. In the B2B part of the forum, the Brno company GINA Software presented its system for public safety and security management, PROMA REHA from Česká Skalice presented its specialised hospital nursing beds, the airline AIR VIP offered its experience in the rapid transport of blood, blood derivatives and biological materials, MDP GEO presented its Smart Cities concept and system management, and Grant Detection presented its patented know-how of a detector for people, animals and cars based on heartbeat detection. The state-owned Czech Export Bank supported the company presentations with information on the possibilities of using the support programme for Czech exporters on foreign markets.

During the forum, the Security Director of Pristina invited Czech investors to participate in 12 projects to build the sports infrastructure needed to host the 2030 Mediterranean Sports Games in Kosovo and the transport and service infrastructure in the capital city of Kosovo.

In the coming years, Kosovo will be building an Olympic Village with a football stadium, basketball halls, athletics stadium, swimming pools, tennis centres, a bus station, a shopping centre and administrative buildings.  Other plans in Pristina include the construction of an underground railway, markets, a sports and youth centre. The city intends to revitalise dilapidated industrial spaces and turn them into a cultural and entertainment centre, build several underground car parks, a bus station and an overpass. The plans of Pristina's mayor, who is an architect by profession and has been involved in projects such as the London Olympics, are ambitious. But they are not unrealistic. Pristina is rapidly growing, becoming a modern European city thanks to new buildings and architecture. Those interested in more information on the projects can contact the Czech Embassy in Pristina at pristina.commerce@mzv.gov.cz or directly the Advisor to the Mayor of Pristina, Mr. Bekim Brestovci, at bekim.brestovci@rks-gov.net or by mobile phone +383 49 631 700.

Iva Šustáková, Economic Diplomat, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Pristina