UNMIK/PR/1637
PRISTINA –Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo (SRSG) Joachim Rücker told Kosovo’s Municipal Assembly Presidents today that status will not magically solve all of Kosovo’s problems. He said that “the role of municipal authorities in making the future Kosovo sustainable socially and economically cannot be overestimated.”
Mr. Rücker addressed the Municipal Assembly Presidents in a meeting convened at UNMIK headquarters this afternoon. During the meeting, the SRSG and the Municipal Assembly Presidents exchanged views on the current political situation and the way forward, the challenges and opportunities of decentralization, and UNMIK’s transition planning in relation to municipalities.
The SRSG, who has visited several municipalities since taking office in September 2006, stressed the important role the municipalities have in vital areas of concern to Kosovo. “Local economic development, promotion of inter-ethnic dialogue, freedom of movement, security for all communites and the return of IDPs and refugees are areas where no progress can be made without municipal contribution,” he said.
“My visits have revealed that whereas each municipality is a special case, there are also common problems and challenges,” Mr. Rücker said.
Recognizing that decentralization presents challenges for the municipalities, Mr. Rücker stressed that it “should also be viewed in the light of the new opportunities it brings.”
The SRSG stressed the importance of decentralization in making all communities feel at home in the new Kosovo. He encouraged further engagement of municipal authorities in the transition planning and its eventual implementation.
