Civil society organizations working within the Serbian community in Kosovo express serious concern over the increasingly frequent actions of central institutions that restrict the ability of local governments in northern Kosovo to exercise the competencies guaranteed to them by the existing legal framework. The latest case concerning street names is only one example of a broader problem that calls into question the actual scope of local self-government powers in practice.
This case goes beyond the issue of street names and raises a fundamental question about the functioning of the system of local self-government in Kosovo. If decisions that clearly fall within the legal competencies of municipalities can effectively be rendered meaningless through the intervention of central institutions, then the true substance of decentralization and local autonomy is questioned. In this regard, the dispute over street names serves as a clear indication of the arbitrary approach of central authorities toward the constitutional and legal competencies of municipalities, as well as toward the principles of local self-government guaranteed by the European Charter of Local Self-Government.
Particularly concerning is the fact that these actions are taking place during an election campaign period, which justifiably raises questions about the political motives behind them. Instead of addressing matters within the competence of local self-government through dialogue and established institutional procedures, they are once again being used to generate political tensions and mobilize voters. Past practice has shown that such actions rarely contribute to resolving the concrete problems faced by citizens, but almost always deepen divisions and undermine trust between communities.
We would like to recall that the European Union has cited the functioning of the newly elected local institutions in northern Kosovo as one of the key indicators of successful stabilization following the political crisis that accompanied local elections. However, this case, along with a number of similar developments in recent years, demonstrates that a significant gap remains between the formal transfer of authority and the actual exercise of local competencies.
We therefore call on the European Union and other international actors to require Kosovo institutions to consistently respect the principles of local self-government and to clearly oppose practices that limit or undermine the exercise of competencies guaranteed to municipalities by law. We further urge them to assess progress based on the actual ability of local authorities to exercise their powers, rather than solely on the formal functioning of institutions.
Center for Affirmative Social Action – CASA
Aktiv
New Social Initiative (NSI)
Institute for Territorial Economic Development – InTER
