Maric: Additional funds for municipalities in northern Kosovo (Blic)
Kosovo Minister of Local Government Administration Ljubomir Maric said that the municipalities with Serbian majority in northern Kosovo might be closed in the case that additional funds from the Kosovo budget are not provided. Maric said that the budget circular by the Kosovo Ministry of Finance, delivered to the municipalities in northern Kosovo, indicates insufficient allocations for the normal functioning of the municipalities. He added that this is in total contrast with the integration that is expected, and stemming from the Brussels process.
Municipalities in northern Kosovo - Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and Mitrovica North have adopted the budgets for this year as recommended by the Kosovo Ministry of Finance, although they are insufficient. Rakic said that municipal MPs adopted the budgets, after receiving written guarantees of additional fund allocation by the Ministry of Finance.
The formula according to which the Ministry of Finance is making allocations is based on the number of people living in a particular municipality. Citizens in the north boycotted the last census in Kosovo.