For the purpose of the advancement of the local government, the Ministry of Local Government Administration has organized a conference on "Local Self-Government Territorial Reform ", which was attended by local and international local government experts.
For the purpose of the advancement of the local government, the Ministry of Local Government Administration has organized a conference on "Local Self-Government Territorial Reform ", which was attended by local and international local government experts.
Secretary General of the Ministry of Local Government Administration, Mr. Besnik Osmani has said that the aim of territorial local government reform is to tackle and analyze the Municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo in the next ten years, which will be followed by debates and discussions with all interested stakeholders.
From the perspective of MLGA, Mr. Osmani has said that local government in Kosovo is characterized by the transfer of powers to the municipalities and the creation of new municipalities. This does not mean that the local government does not need further advancement.
Mr. Osmani has said "These processes have brought results but the process should continue. Local governance in Kosovo must be in full compliance with European aspirations, which means further advancement of the principles of local democracy."
The local government territorial reform used as a tool for integration of minorities has not given its effect on the long-term advancement, while the territorial organization for economic purposes remains an important element of the advancement of municipalities.
Mr. Osmani has stressed that territorial reform should serve to the functioning of local self-government and contribute to the implementation of local governance principles: the principle of efficiency, effectiveness and subsidiarity, while the development of local democracy, fiscal capacity and human resources are fundamental issues in the territorial organization of the country.
While presenting the EU best practices of territorial organization of local self-government, the UNDP expert Mr. Roman Lavtar has said that the transfer of powers from central to local government is one of the principles, which helps municipalities to better organize the local-governance. As regards to the change of territorial boundaries and the establishment of new municipalities, Mr. Roman Lavtar has said that territorial boundaries should not be changed without prior consultation of the local communities and the possibility of organizing a local referendum.
During his presentation Mr. Lavtar has said that it is important to ensure the right and ability of local authorities to regulate and manage public affairs in the interest of the local population.
Executive Director of the GAP Institute, Mr. Agron Demi said that it is believed that jobs will be reduced and services will improve with the increasing development of technology and expansion of Internet, but last years in Kosovo proved the opposite, because the expansion of the Internet has increased further the number of employees in the civil service.
Based on the research made by Index Kosova, the percentage of houses connected to the Internet was 53 % in 2009. Whereas, according to the Department of Civil Service of the Ministry of Public Administration the number of employees employed in the municipal administration was 5.187.
The percentage of houses connected to the Internet was 79% in June 2013, while the number of civil servants employed at the municipal level in June 2013 was 6,032 employees.
Regarding this phenomenon Mr. Demi has said that municipalities must respect the decision of the Government of Kosovo No. 10/46 of December 2008 on the criteria of size of local administrations which sets rules and restrictions regarding the size of the municipal administration.