Around EUR 7 million collected from the customs at crossings in northern Kosovo, Brnjak and Jarinje, forwarded to the special fund for development of four northern municipalities, still can’t be used.

Kosovo Finance Minister Abdulah Hoti says that EU Office is still reviewing projects that will be realized through the collected funds in northern Kosovo, and that this is the only reason why the money is still not used.

The Mayor of Leposavić/Leposaviq Municipality Dragan Jablanović said that projects have been handed over the EU Office in Kosovo, which informed them that additional documentation is needed since projects should be carried out in line with Kosovo laws.

“We refused it because we request that projects are realized as agreed in Brussels, that is, that tenders are called for projects of a higher value than RSD 300.000. By Kosovo (law) we are supposed to call tenders even for RSD 10.000, throughout Kosovo, what prevents companies from the north to win tenders,” explained Jablanović.

“Funds that are not spent until the end of this year will go to Kosovo fund, what is the goal of the Kosovo government. By European rules, as agreed in Brussels, funds can be transferred in next and following year, and are not forwarded to the Kosovo budget,” explained Jablanović.