Kosovo Municipalities Announce Protest on September 1

The Association of Kosovo Municipalities has announced that it will organize a peaceful protest in front of the government on September 1 to present the demands of the local level to central institutions.

The protest aims to oppose the financial obligations that, according to the municipalities, are placing a burden on their budgets. The issues raised include costs arising from collective agreements, the lack of compensation for damage caused by natural disasters, and interference in the competencies of local government.

Under the slogan “Do not take from the municipalities what belongs to the citizens,” municipal leaders will demand institutional solutions, the implementation of laws, respect for the powers of the mayors and municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo, as well as equal treatment by the central level.

Agim Aliu, chairman of the Association of Kosovo Municipalities, said that municipalities have been facing financial obligations created by the national level for a long time. According to him, these expenses are continuously increasing, and local institutions are seeking fair and institutional treatment.

During a conference with members of the Association’s board, Aliu said that the financial consequences of collective agreements had reached 360 million euros. He said that, through enforcement proceedings, 27 percent of these funds, or more than 100 million euros, had been taken from the municipalities, describing this as the biggest blow to municipal budgets.

Another demand concerns compensation for municipalities affected by natural disasters, which, according to the Association, have not received support from the central level to repair the damage. Aliu also mentioned the failure to establish institutions as another problem and an additional challenge for the work of the municipalities.