The accounts of the municipalities in Kosovo North, which are blocked by the Kosovo government for the two months, could be finally unblocked. As Vecernje Novosti unofficially learned, the mayors of the four municipalities will meet during the week with Abdullah Hoti, Finance Minister in Kosovo government, and will try to find a solution for this problem.
The Kosovo government had blocked the accounts of the municipalities in the north claiming that the accounts are illegal, because these municipalities didn’t include in draft budget the allocations for the Health and Education. Position of the Serbian Mayors was that issues related to the Health and Education should be solved in compliance with the Brussels Agreement, and within the Community/Association of the Municipalities (ZSO).
Ljubomir Maric Minister of Local Self Government in the Kosovo government believes that problems with the budget and municipal accounts will be solved soon: “I am convinced that implementation of the Brussels Agreement is very important for the international community. If blocking of the accounts will be continued, the process of the integration of the north will surely fail.” When asked to confirm the meeting of the representatives of municipalities with Kosovo Minister of Finance, Maric recalled that that Serbs are not participating in Kosovo institutions and they communicate with them through EU Office.
While waiting unblocking of the accounts, the employees of the municipalities are not receiving the salaries for the last two months, particularly those who receive salaries from the Kosovo budget – 130 employees of Albanian nationality. “Beside five MPs in the Municipal Assembly of Mitrovica North, the problem is salary for approx. 60 employees of the Administrative Office,” said Ksenija Bozovic, Mitrovica North Assembly President.
