Kosovo*
The Republic of Kosovo* is a decentralised unitary government composed of municipalities.
CEMR in Kosovo* – Association of Kosovo* Municipalities (https://komunat-ks.net/?lang=en)
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence
Local governments
The municipal assembly (Kuvendi i Komunës in Albanian and Skupstina Opstine in Serbian) is the highest representative and decision-making body of the municipality consisting of all its elected members. The members of the municipal assembly are directly elected for a four-year term. The number of members of the Municipal Assembly varies from 15 to 51 depending on the size of the municipality.
The mayor (Kryetar/Gradonacelnik) is the highest executive body of the municipality and is elected through direct elections. The mayor of the municipality shall be elected for the same term of office as the members of the municipal assembly. The elected office of the Mayor is not subject to term limits.
Each municipality responds to a province or a metropolitan city, but they may also directly relate to its region or the central government if necessary. The Municipality may acquire city status if the president of the Republic provides them with this status.
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There are three types of municipal competences:
- Own competences
- Delegated competences and
- Enhanced competences
Own competences
- Local economic development
Urban and rural planning - Land use and development
- Implementation of building regulations and building control standards
- Local environmental protection
- Provision and maintenance of public services and utilities, including: water supply, sewers and drains, sewage treatment, waste management, local roads, local transport, and local heating scheme
- Local emergency response
- Provision of public pre-primary, primary and secondary education
- Promotion and protection of human rights
- Provision of family and other social welfare services
- Public housing
- Public health
Delegated competences
- Cadastral records
- Civil registries
- Voter registration
- Business registration and licensing
- Distribution of social assistance payments (excluding pensions)
- Forestry protection on the municipal territory within the authority delegated by the central authority, including the granting of licenses for the felling of trees on the basis of rules adopted by the Government.
Central authorities in Kosovo may delegate other competences to municipalities, as appropriate, in accordance with the law.
Enhanced Municipal Competences
- Certain municipalities mentioned below shall have their own competences enhanced in the areas of health, education and cultural affairs and shall have a participatory right in selecting local station police commanders as set forth in the subsequent articles
- Central authorities of the Republic of Kosovo shall monitor the exercise of enhanced competences
- The municipalities of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica North, Graçanicë/Gracanica, Shtërpcë / Štrpce shall have the competence for the provision of secondary health care
- The municipality of Mitrovicë e Veriut/ Mitrovica North shall have the competence for the provision of higher education
- All municipalities in which the Kosovar Serb Community is in the majority shall have authority to exercise responsibility for cultural affairs
- Municipalities may cooperate with any other municipality in cultural affairs
- Municipalities in which the Kosovar Serb community is in a majority shall exercise enhanced participatory rights in the selection of the local station police commanders in accordance with the relevant laws
Other Governments
Each municipality may create settlements (fshat /selo) that ensure services offered are closer to all citizens of the municipality. There are 1467 settlements. The villages (fshat) are registered as cadastral zones. Each municipality regulates the division of its suburbs.
Each municipality may make arrangements with villages, settlements and urban quarters within its territory to ensure that services are offered closer to all citizens of the municipality.
With the approval of the municipality, villages, settlements and urban quarters, singly or in combination, may carry out activities that are within the responsibilities and powers of the municipality.
The Statute and local municipal regulations shall stipulate the form of cooperation between the municipality and villages, settlements and urban quarters and the scope of the work and organisation of villages, settlements and urban quarters.