"Kosovo decentralization after elections"

The decentralization in Kosovo will be in full swing after local elections next year, officials in Pristina are saying. The Kosovo Albanian government minister in charge of local self-government, Sadri Ferati, told B92 that the Serbs would with the decentralization, which is a part of the Ahtisaari plan, increase the number of municipalities from five to ten. "Kosovo decentralization after elections" "They can expect that these areas, existing areas, that they will get strong municipalities with many competencies, with strong autonomy of functioning of those areas and great financial support for those areas. So that they will indeed be capable of performing good services for their citizens," said Ferati. The Media Center in Caglavica heard about the decentralization in a debate, where those representatives of Kosovo's Serbs present said that they approved of the process, but pointed out to it being late, while the number of Serbs where decentralization was planned is "diminishing every day". "In the field everything is being done to compromise the ethnic structure of the Serbs as much as possible until the start of the decentralization and to decrease their numbers. We had a series of initiatives that came from the central government in Pristina or the local government where they tried with project in Serb areas that were most directly threatening the Serb community," said Radmila Trajkovic of the Serb National Council of Central Kosovo. "I would [single out] Berivojici, where they tried to build a mosque in a completeley Serb area and in that way exerting pressure and I would say trying to drive out the Serbs," she continued. The Ahtisaari plan also envisages Gracanica to become a new municipality. Slobodan Petrovic, who is a member of the Kosovo assembly presidency in Pristina, says that there is "danger that the number of Serbs in Gracanica will diminish" if the decentralization is "stalled". Ferati said that the transfer of competencies to the new municipalities is planned for the first quarter of 2009. Local elections have been scheduled for November 2009, after which a reform of the local government is expected.

"Kosovo decentralization after elections"

"They can expect that these areas, existing areas, that they will get strong municipalities with many competencies, with strong autonomy of functioning of those areas and great financial support for those areas. So that they will indeed be capable of performing good services for their citizens," said Ferati.

The Media Center in Čaglavica heard about the decentralization in a debate, where those representatives of Kosovo's Serbs present said that they approved of the process, but pointed out to it being late, while the number of Serbs where decentralization was planned is "diminishing every day".

"In the field everything is being done to compromise the ethnic structure of the Serbs as much as possible until the start of the decentralization and to decrease their numbers. We had a series of initiatives that came from the central government in Priština or the local government where they tried with project in Serb areas that were most directly threatening the Serb community," said Radmila Trajković of the Serb National Council of Central Kosovo.

"I would [single out] Berivojići, where they tried to build a mosque in a completeley Serb area and in that way exerting pressure and I would say trying to drive out the Serbs," she continued.

The Ahtisaari plan also envisages Gračanica to become a new municipality. Slobodan Petrović, who is a member of the Kosovo assembly presidency in Priština, says that there is "danger that the number of Serbs in Gračanica will diminish" if the decentralization is "stalled".

Ferati said that the transfer of competencies to the new municipalities is planned for the first quarter of 2009.

Local elections have been scheduled for November 2009, after which a reform of the local government is expected.