The meeting in Pec é mayors expressed disappointment, Kurti: We'll meet more often

The meeting between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the mayors has ended with numerous demands on the part of the latter, who said they have not received answers. However, Kurti said they will meet every three months.

Along with Kurti at the meeting was Minister of Local Power Management Elbert Krasniqi, Minister of Labour and Transferences Hekuran Murati, where it was discussed budgetary performance of municipalities and capital investments, energy and water, capital investments, green agenda, local digitalisation and the strategy for management and control of dogs with no owner and no owner.

After the meeting ended with Kosovo mayors Albin Kurti said the meeting has gone very well, until it added that every three months there will be such meetings.

Kurti said this meeting was more about the common problems the municipalities have. While he has said he will meet more often with mayors to discuss their specific issues.

” We'll keep it every three months, but we'll meet more often on specific municipal issues. This was a more gathering for their common woes and everything goes with a constructive atmosphere of development co-operation between the central government, municipal leadership, but also with regard to other state institutions and international donors”, he said.

Rahovec Mayor Smajl Latifi during the media statement said they have presented their frustrations and demands to the government, but have not received any comment.

We did not receive comments that should usually be given to the prime minister along with the present ministers.... We've presented the serious concerns that we have from the point of getting stuck in public capital investments, because of the contracts that were earlier connected, price hikes, and this is a blockade for economic operators, because they're not returning to the workshop... I insisted that the law on subsidizing losses, for contract operators, which have been linked before price increases, be adopted as quickly as possible and go into effect. We have also talked about the collective contract, the difficulties and the heavy financial burden that municipalities are carrying unjustly”, he said.

Furthermore, Latifi said they have demanded clear definition that municipalities not be financially damaged due to the implementation of collective contracts

Rahovec's chairman said the topic of discussion was also the issue of flooding. According to him, a government emergency package is needed in connection with this crisis.

“We also talked about the issue of flows, and I've asked the government that the municipality of Rahovec, one of the municipalities hit by the floods, have an emergency financial package to compensate for the many damages we have in the family economy, agriculture, households, businesses, even in public objects like we have a damaged school and a damaged family medicine centre... because this global crisis has damaged agriculture”, he said.

Despite the topic of discussion during the meeting, it was not the issue of the strike, he said the only partners who can provide solutions to this strike are the government and BSPK.

Peja Community Chairman Gazmend Muharzier said he applied for the Kiev-Peje road project. According to him, it is the fourth year this project is being approved.

“Paya municipality request for the Kiev-Peje Project, which is the fourth year on hand and there are three governments that have been taken to this job and have not addressed this issue or have managed to develop tender procedures and drive the streets, even though they have been able to do this job very quickly”, he said.

Gjilan Mayor Alban Hyseni said the meeting has gone extremely well. He said the focus was more on the general problems of citizens in municipalities.

He said he's been discussing the next meeting, but they haven't decided the place yet.

He also added that the government has pledged to continue to come to the aid of municipalities.