Road collapse in Pristina/What is known and what remains unclear

2026-03-30 16:01:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The “Don Shtjefën Kurti” street, which collapsed near a construction pit, prompted investigations into causing a general hazard, while the Municipality of Pristina suspended two inspectors in the area and decided to start inspecting all workplaces. There are still different versions about the exact cause of the collapse.

In just a few seconds, protective pillars several meters high collapsed along with part of "Don Shtjefën Kurti" street in Pristina, on March 29.

Images circulating online showed an open construction pit next to this road, and visibly damp ground.

The collapse of the road was preceded by the fall of piles, called "piles", which are usually placed at the edge of deep excavations, to prevent exactly what happened - a landslide.

The collapse caused no injuries, but it caused disruptions to the electricity and water systems, leaving several neighborhoods of the Kosovo capital without supply.

The hole dug along the road was the start of work on a construction project by the company "Klub Invest", which already has several other projects built around that area.

How did the collapse come about?

The main suspicion from all parties involved is that the collapse occurred as a result of water pressure.

But there is controversy about how this dampness came about, and whether it could have been prevented.

Radio Free Europe spoke with the owner of the company "Klub Invest", who indicated that the works have been underway for about a month, namely the digging of the pit for the new construction.

Fatmir Syla said that his main doubts are related to groundwater leakage.

"Due to groundwater leaks... it has put pressure on and damaged the soil structure," Syla claimed, adding that, according to his assessment, "90 percent" of the case can be linked to this factor.

He considered that it could have been a water main break, implying that it was not just about precipitation.

"In a way, it is impossible to know [to predict]. Although geomechanical drilling is usually done, soil measurements, all these procedures have turned out to be in order. But this is an ad hoc factor, which has come up on the spot," Syla told REL.

According to him, although he was interviewed by the Prosecution, it has not yet been proven that his company is to blame for the collapse.

"The case is under procedure. Responsibility is unknown, because cases happen, but here a commission of experts is needed to know exactly what happened," he said, adding that the construction is with permission, and that there have been no such problems with the construction of other buildings.

The Regional Water Supply Company "Prishtina" has denied statements that a breakdown in the water supply system may have caused the collapse.

In a statement on Facebook on March 29, the company said that, based on initial observations, this situation is not related to the water supply network: “Rather, [it is] related to excavation and intervention activities in the field, which have contributed to the destabilization of soil layers, and the creation of conditions for landslides.”

The water utility added that it will begin a detailed analysis of the situation on the ground, but did not respond to REL's questions about whether this analysis has already begun.

What do the experts say?

Upon first observation, from the videos that have circulated online, construction professor Naser Kabashi noticed an initial problem.

"The road construction and the construction pit, where the facility is planned to be built, in my opinion, had an insufficient distance. They were too close to each other," he told Radio Free Europe.

According to him, the presence of water or moisture changes the behavior of the soil, making it more unstable.

"In the presence of moisture or water, soils change, slide against each other, lose cohesion and create pressure," Kabashi asserted.

According to him, "the construction pit is designed to accept the loads, and not lead to landslides, as happened in this case," he said, emphasizing that the collapse process was gradual.

"This didn't happen in a day," Kabashi said.

The head of the capital, Rama, said on March 30 that "all workplaces where serious safety violations or problems are identified will be closed immediately, without any exceptions."

He requested the launch of "an internal investigation to verify inspection reports, the frequency of on-site checks and to identify any possible omissions, negligence or breach of duty."

According to him, "the cases will be subject to in-depth institutional analysis, which may result in the revocation of construction permits."/ Rel