Citizens in the north see no development despite investments there

Citizens complain that no capital project for citizens is currently, even critical of mismanagement and misuse of means. But officials there say otherwise, according to them, there are investments.

The budget is shared by the Government of Kosovo, the Government of Serbia and the Development Fund for the North, as well as by several organisations and the EU. Even so, northern citizens stress there is no investment. They say money is being distributed unfairly, and that it is being invested in projects without the interest of citizens.

There's nothing here, nothing's been invested, just stolen and spent, maybe invested but not enough, or this isn't being noticed, maybe in the next period it's going to be invested, as we'll see, I'm not optimistic”, say disappointed citizens, passing RTK. Only promises, nothing concrete. ”

The EU office in Kosovo suggests that the North Development Fund has singled out over 2 million this summer, while from the founding there are about 14.8m euros collected at the fund. In the north, however, it is also invested in Kosovo's budget. The administration leader in the northern Mitrovica municipality, Adriana Hodzic, said that local government has some 500 thousand euros available, for public services and infrastructure projects.

In addition to asphalt, there is also water supply and sewering, public lighting, sidewalk and parking lot. It has also been invested in the field of education. . We've invested in health. For us it is important to promote health, because 70 % of the people who visit the Clinical Hospital Centre are from south”, explains Hodzic.

Projects are also implemented by the Government of Serbia budget, even major investments for municipalities in the north, Serbia's president, Alexander Vuciq, also warned. Meanwhile, analysts say all investments are welcome, regardless of where they come from. Analyst Lubomir Stanojkovik estimates the most important in this direction is that they are managed properly.

“Perhaps these are huge sums, but the demands and needs of the Serb community are also great. Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo are part of the Kosovo system, so there is a budget from the Government of Kosovo. But, personally, I think more tools come from abroad as the EU countries are, but every amount is welcome if used for proper purposes and goes into real hands.

While politicologist Belul Becaj estimates that major investments come from the European Union, while politicians from Kosovo and Serbia promise investments for personal political interests.