Kosovo administration to be decreased

Serbian Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanovic said that the size of the Kosovo administration must be decreased, but not drastically. He told daily Blic that there are 3,500 administrative officials in the 28 southern Kosovo municipalities, which is too much of a strain on the state budget, and said that three officials would be able to do most of the work needed in the ethnically pure municipalities of Kosovo. Kosovo administration to be decreased However, “a decrease or abolishment of this administration, which is the only realistic solution, is impossible, because the people being made redundant would probably file suits against the state that would cost even more money,” Bogdanovic said. He explained that the local self-administration was legally and legitimately elected in the May 11, 2008 elections and that the ministry has no legal basis for letting them go. Bogdanovic said that the decrease in officials however is unavoidable, because the law for decreasing the size of the administration will be in effect for the entire territory of Serbia, Kosovo included. “This pre-dimensioned administration spends EUR 13mn annually of the budget funds, even though it realistically in many cases has no obligations or power,” Bogdanovic said. “Many of them have been persecuted and are living in central Serbia, any are receiving minimum wages of RSD 8,300 per month, while those who remain on the territory of Kosovo and are not working and receiving RSD 11,800,” Bogdanovic said, adding that the remaining 850 people are receiving Kosovo contributions, which amounts to an increase of 50 percent in their wages. Goran Bogdanovic (FoNet archive)

Kosovo administration to be decreased

However, “a decrease or abolishment of this administration, which is the only realistic solution, is impossible, because the people being made redundant would probably file suits against the state that would cost even more money,” Bogdanović said.

He explained that the local self-administration was legally and legitimately elected in the May 11, 2008 elections and that the ministry has no legal basis for letting them go.

Bogdanović said that the decrease in officials however is unavoidable, because the law for decreasing the size of the administration will be in effect for the entire territory of Serbia, Kosovo included.

“This pre-dimensioned administration spends EUR 13mn annually of the budget funds, even though it realistically in many cases has no obligations or power,” Bogdanović said.

“Many of them have been persecuted and are living in central Serbia, any are receiving minimum wages of RSD 8,300 per month, while those who remain on the territory of Kosovo and are not working and receiving RSD 11,800,” Bogdanović said, adding that the remaining 850 people are receiving Kosovo contributions, which amounts to an increase of 50 percent in their wages.