“communs performed better than the government in capital investments”

Bekim Salihu, a researcher at the GAP Institute, said that despite major difficulties, four municipalities have realised 100% of the planned means for capital investments and many more than 80%.

The realisation of capital investments in the 2021/2025 mandate has been the biggest challenge for municipalities. This is seen in promises fulfilled, where more have been accomplished in culture than in infrastructure. That was because the mandate started in pandemic times, then with the final problems where funds were seized from capital investment planning. This has prevented municipalities from performing as planned and often not because of them,” said Salihu, Express reported.

On the other hand, according to data, municipalities have performed better than the central government at this point.

The “communs as a whole have realised 82% of the planned means for capital investments, but there is also part of the means taken from municipalities through the final procedures. The municipalities report this as capital spending, though those vehicles have not gone to planned projects. These projects contained signed contracts, but were not implemented due to the funding deadlock,” added Salihu.

The municipalities that have realised 100% of the planned investments are: Ferizaj, Suhareka and Malisheva.