Citizen cleaning his village for 10 years — fined by police instead of recognised
A citizen who has cleaned his village streets and parks for ten years has been fined by police during a routine operation, drawing strong reactions on social media.
FERIZAJ, April 25, 2026 — A resident of a village in the municipality of Ferizaj, who for ten years has voluntarily cleaned streets and public spaces, was fined by police during a routine operation. The case has gone viral on social media and triggered widespread reaction from residents and environmental organisations, who are demanding a public apology.
According to the citizen own account, the fine was issued for a traffic-related offence while he was transporting collected waste in his private vehicle. He said he never anticipated such a response after years of voluntary work in the community.
Sharp reaction on social media
Footage of the fine being issued has been widely shared on Facebook and TikTok, with many citizens criticising the lack of judgement of context by the officers. The environmental NGO “Let’s Do It Kosova” has requested an urgent meeting with the Police Directorate to discuss new protocols for people engaged in voluntary activities.
The Municipality of Ferizaj, in an official response, expressed gratitude for the citizen contribution and announced a public recognition ceremony. It has not yet been confirmed, however, whether the fine will be cancelled by the misdemeanours court.
The affected citizen told the media that “I do not clean the village for recognition, but I do expect institutions at least not to obstruct me,” stressing he will continue his work after the incident.
The case has opened a wider debate over the lack of supportive policies for citizen initiatives in Kosovo, where waste collection remains a major challenge. Only a portion of villages have regular waste-management services, while visual and health-related pollution remains a persistent problem.
Environmental experts have stressed that the public-volunteer cooperation model should be formalised through agreements that protect the rights and responsibilities of both sides. The Kosovo Police have not yet commented officially.
Source: Telegrafi.