IMC REPORT Association of Kosovo Municipalities Inter-municipal Cooperation in Kosovo Challenges and Opportunities August 2010 1 IMC REPORT Association of Kosovo Municipalities Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................. 6 Legal framework for the Establishment of IMC-s in Kosovo ............................................................ 7 Assessment of Inter-Municipal Cooperation...................................................................................... 8 Prishtina/Priština - Graçanica/Gračanica .......................................................................................... 8 Prishtina/Priština ................................................................................................................................. 8 Graçanica/Gračanica............................................................................................................................ 9 Gjilan/Gnjilane – Novobërda /Novo Brdo ...................................................................................... 10 Gjilan/Gnjilane................................................................................................................................... 10 Novobërda /Novo Brdo...................................................................................................................... 11 Kaçanik/Kačanik – Han i Elezit ....................................................................................................... 13 Kaçanik/Kačanik ................................................................................................................................ 13 Hani i Elezit/Elez Han ........................................................................................................................ 14 Prizren/Prizren – Mamush /Mamuša– Dragash/Dragaš .............................................................. 15 Prizren/Prizren .................................................................................................................................. 15 Dragash/Dragaš(Sharr) ...................................................................................................................... 17 Mamush ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Viti/Vitina – Kllokoti/ Klokot ................................................................................................................. 19 Viti/Vitina .......................................................................................................................................... 19 Kllokoti/ Klokot .................................................................................................................................. 20 Deçan/Dečane – Junik/Junik ................................................................................................................. 22 Junik/Junik......................................................................................................................................... 23 Kamenicë/ Kamenica – Ranillug/Ranilug ................................................................................................ 23 Kamenicë/ Kamenica ......................................................................................................................... 23 2 IMC REPORT Association of Kosovo Municipalities Ranillug/Ranilug ................................................................................................................................ 24 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Summary of Findings ............................................................................................................................. 28 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................................... 31 Annex 1. New Municipality – Questionnaire .......................................................................................... 33 Annex 2. Parent Municipality – Questionnaire ....................................................................................... 38 3 IMC REPORT Association of Kosovo Municipalities Introduction Inter – Municipal Cooperation (IMC) refers to two or more neighboring municipalities working together to perform municipal administrative duties, provide public services to citizens and promote local development more efficiently and effectively than through their isolated action. 1 The Association of Kosovo Municipalities (AKM) analyzed the current situation of the Inter-municipal Cooperation (IMC) in Kosovo and its future prospect. This study sets out the needs and priorities regarding the formation of IMC-s, and challenges. The AKM aims to increase IMC ‘s between Kosovo’s municipalities. AKM’s study focuses on five areas of service delivery: Forestry Environment Waste Management Fire Department Inspection For the needs of this study, AKM analyzed the situation in 15 municipalities of Kosova by interviewing majors, and on some occasions the directors of public services. Municipalities analyzed are: Parent Municipality New Municipality Prishtina Gracanica (Prishtina / Priština ) (Graçanica/Gračanica) Kamenica Ranillug (Kamenicë/ Kamenica) (Ranillug /Ranilug) Viti Kllokoti (Viti/Vitinana ) (Kllokoti/ Klokoti) Kacanik Hani i Elezit (Kaçanik /Kačanik /) (Hani i Elezit/Elez Han ) Decan Junik (Dečani / Deçani) (Junik/Junik) Prizren Mamusha (Prizren/Prizren) Mamush /Mamuša 1 Initiative for Reform of Public Services and Local Government, "Guide for Professionals in this field", Bratislava, September 2009. 4 IMC REPORT Association of Kosovo Municipalities Dragash Dragash/Dragaš Gjilan Novo Brdo (Gjilan/Gnjilane ) (Novobërda /Novobërda) The parent municipalities such as Prishtina/Priština were chosen based on their proximity to newly established municipalities, in this case, Graçanica/Gračanica. The municipality of Prizren/Prizren may have IMC with two newly established municipalities, Mamush /Mamuša and Dragash/Dragaš. Association of Kosovo Municipalities estimates that this report will assist the process of IMC-s in Kosovo at a level in which cooperation between municipalities should be seen as a real opportunity to provide better services to citizens and as well lower costs for municipal services. 5 IMC REPORT Association of Kosovo Municipalities Executive Summary Previous practices in the field of inter-municipal cooperation in Kosovo have shown a slow growth trend. IMC's in Kosovo are few and dysfunctional in providing mutual services to citizens and reducing municipal costs. Mainly municipalities cooperate with each other in specific cases, though such cooperation is not formal (contract, agreement of understanding). Inter-municipal cooperation in Kosovo has been developed within the Private Owned Enterprises, whose boards are composed of representatives appointed by the municipalities. Additional segments in which the municipalities cooperate among each other are the Regional Development Agencies in which municipalities work together in order to create better economic opportunities. 2 The role of RDA’s is that in cooperation with businesses and other relevant stakeholders to promote regional development. However, even in these agencies municipalities have compiled individual projects rather than projects that develop the region in general. In terms of IMC-s, between two or more municipalities outside these institutions mentioned above, the study has shown that initiatives lack and these initiatives are not in a satisfactory level (although there is a need and possibility for cooperation). Moreover, it is of particular importance the fact of several memorandums of understanding being signed amongst the parent municipalities and just created municipalities as a result of decentralization, in which case the parent municipalities have been obliged to offer their help in raising capacities of new municipalities (i.e. Prishtina/Priština-Graçanica, Prizren/Prizren-Mamush /Mamuša, etc.). Through these agreements, parent municipalities offered their experience in preparing the staff of new municipalities, but also have provided services to the newly created municipalities (cadastre services, fire services, etc.). 2 Five Regional Development Agencies have been established, whose boards consist of heads of member municipalities 6 IMC REPORT Association of Kosovo Municipalities Legal framework for the Establishment of IMC-s in Kosovo The legal framework applicable in Kosovo specifies explicitly the inter-municipal cooperation, referring to a real possibility of cooperation between municipalities in Kosovo. Consequently, Kosovo Constitution specifies the inter-municipal cooperation, stressing: "Municipalities have the right to inter-municipal cooperation and cross- border cooperation, in accordance with the law.”3 Clearly, the legal basis of the IMC formation is foreseen with the highest law of the Kosovo state, the constitution. Furthermore, the Law on Local Self-Government in Chapter V regarding Inter- municipal Cooperation and Inter-municipal Arrangements specifies the right of municipalities to cooperate