On Friday, temperatures in Kosovo’s capital reached 36 degrees Celsius, forcing residents of Pristina to stay indoors. This heat wave has made the streets and bars of Pristina empty.

A heat wave has caused temperatures to reach high levels in various parts of central and southern Europe. The hot weather in Kosovo has caused far fewer people to frequent bars and restaurants, hurting small businesses.

“At the moment it is very hot, especially during the day when the temperatures rise. This is hurting business a lot because people don’t go out in this heat”, says Migjen Dema, owner of a bar in Pristina.

Meteorologist Mendim Rugova says that since the 1980s, temperatures in Kosovo have increased by an average of 2.5 degrees Celsius. He said the current heat wave could last until the end of July.