Sazan Ibrahimi: Municipalities’ participation in the protest will be voluntary

The Association of Kosovo Municipalities has neither the authority nor the mechanism to force municipalities to participate in the announced protest, said the association’s director, Sazan Ibrahimi.

Speaking on the “Info Magazine” program, Ibrahimi explained that participation would depend on the municipalities’ willingness. However, he said he expected members of municipal assemblies and citizens from municipalities across Kosovo to attend the protest.

“The protest, naturally, participation is voluntary, meaning that at no point does the Association have a mechanism to oblige or force municipalities to protest. However, I am convinced that there will also be members of municipal assemblies or citizens from these municipalities, because the damage being caused by the central level is extraordinary,” Ibrahimi said.

Among the issues he described as problematic was the collective agreement. Ibrahimi also mentioned a ruling by the Constitutional Court, which, he said, has still not been implemented by the central level.

He warned that the financial consequences for municipalities could be significant. If the courts begin taking municipalities’ financial resources for failing to implement the ruling, the losses could, according to him, exceed 60 million euros.

The Association of Kosovo Municipalities has announced that the protest will be held on September 1 in “Skënderbeu” Square in Pristina. Through the protest, the municipalities are objecting to central-level interference in their powers, financial obligations, and the lack of institutional support.