Prishtina, 21 February, 2024
In order to deepen cooperation and further expand communication as the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, as well as in order to coordinate activities and requests at the local level, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, together with the Minister of Local Administration, Elbert Krasniqi, the Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Hekuran Murati, the Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Arbërie Nagavci and the Deputy Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Hysen Durmishi, today held the sixth regular meeting with the presidents of the municipalities of Kosovo.
In this next meeting, in addition to reiterating the budget allocation for municipalities this year, which amounts to 742 million euros and which is almost 90 million euros higher compared to the previous year 2023 and 195 million more than in 2021, Prime Minister Kurti raised two other important issues for consideration: the population census, which is expected to start at the beginning of April, and the issue of abandoned and stray dogs.
Regarding the first, the prime minister called on everyone for dedication and joint commitment for the successful completion of this process of essential importance for the socio-economic development of our country. “Data-based policymaking is important for both the central and local levels of government, because it enables good planning, fair and equal distribution of resources for education, health, housing and employment for all citizens and communities in our country”, he said.
As for the concern regarding the housing of stray dogs that each municipality faces, he said that the coordinating group led by the Ministry of Local Government
Administration, in its strategy, has foreseen several inter-institutional steps, among them the construction of shelters and developing local dog management services. Among them, the construction of four shelters in four municipalities: in Pristina, in Prizren, in Pejë, and Gjilan/Kamenica, based on the current administrative instruction. Prime Minister Kurti called on the mayors and representatives of the municipalities to cooperate as closely as possible with the coordinating group in the realization of the intended objectives.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Local Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi, initially said that this next meeting serves as a discussion table where the two levels discuss projects and programs, which bring local economic development and increase the well-being of citizens, as he invited the municipalities to respond to the open call on February 15 for reporting on the performance system for 2023 and to apply to the program for financing infrastructure projects, at the Ministry of Local Government Administration, which remains open until February 28.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Dear Mr. Elbert Krasniqi, Minister of Local Government Administration,
Dear mayors of municipalities,
Dear Deputy Mayors of Municipalities,
Dear Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Dear media representatives and employees,
Ladies and gentleman,
Dear attendees,
It is good that we are meeting in the sixth meeting of this format, now common and regular, in order to listen to your requests and to coordinate our activities.
The Municipal budget for 2024 amounts to 742 million euros. The Government allocates almost half of the available budget to the municipalities. It is the second year in a row that the budget growth is in double digits compared to the previous year. The budget of 2024 is almost 90 million euros higher compared to the previous year 2023. Since the beginning of the mandate, for three years, the annual budget of the municipalities has increased by 195 million euros more.
The General Grant for Municipalities for the year 2024 captures the amount of 284.7 million euros, which at the same time is the grant with the largest value ever.
The municipalities of Ferizaj and Gjakova are two of the municipalities with the most infrastructure projects supported by the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure. Meanwhile, the municipalities of Rahovec, Obiliq and Skenderaj are listed in the top three municipalities benefiting from the Municipal Performance Grant that is allocated by the Ministry of Local Government Administration.
Each municipality this year has at least a 40% higher budget than three years ago.
These are figures and data that you all know, not only because I and the government ministers have repeated them. And the reason why I am forced to repeat them is that we are continuously hearing accusations and criticism about the lack of support of municipalities from the Government or inequality of support. Neither one nor the other can stand. Therefore, since we are here, in the spirit of cooperation, none of us should contribute to misinforming the citizens, but play an active role in informing them when it comes to support from the central level to the local level.
In addition, in this next meeting, together with you, I would like to address two other issues that are of common interest.
As you know, the population census will start at the beginning of April, that is, one and a half months from today. This registration will result in abundant data that will enable decision makers and other users, ranging from government and civil society, businesses, donors and investors, to design policies, develop strategies, programs and products, and provide services that meet the needs of citizens.
Data-based policymaking is important for both the central and local levels of government, because it enables good planning, fair and equitable distribution of resources for education, health, housing and employment for all citizens and communities of our country.
In order for the registration to fully realize the objectives for the generation of complete and accurate data, a close cooperation and interaction is needed between the Statistics Agency of Kosovo and the municipalities of the Republic. Therefore, I use the opportunity to call for the dedication and joint commitment of everyone in the successful completion of this process of essential importance for the socio-economic development of our country. The quality of census data, households, businesses and the many, many other answers that will be obtained from the long questionnaire is crucial to the quality of our government both at the central level and yours at the local level. We will plan more, plan better, execute more accurately, and succeed more together.
Second, there is the issue of abandoned and stray dogs. This is a concern shared by every municipality and for which the government has created the coordinating group, led by the Ministry of Local Government Administration. The strategy issued by that group foresees several inter-institutional steps, among them the construction of shelters and the development of local dog management services. At the moment, the working group proposes the construction of four (4) shelters in four municipalities: in Pristina, in Prizren, in Pejë, and Gjilan/Kamenica, built based on the current administrative instruction. On this occasion, I call upon you to cooperate as closely as possible with this coordinating group in achieving the intended objectives, from which everyone benefits.
Now I am passing the floor to the Minister of Administration and Local Government, Mr. Elbert Krasniqi, and then we will be able to openly discuss these topics that I mentioned, but also about others that are in the interest of current good governance and the well-being of citizens in each municipality of our country.
Thank you, and the floor is for you, Minister Krasniqi!
Last modified: February 22, 2024