At the sitting held on 20 July, the Local Self-Government Committee discussed the functioning of local self-government in Kosovo-Metohija. The sitting was chaired by Jovan Palalic, Committee Chairman.

The sitting was attended by the representatives of the Assembly of the Community of Municipalities of Kosovo-Metohija . The Assembly Chairman, Radovan Nicic, briefed the Committee members on the problems in the functioning of local self-government, a year after the local elections in the Province. He said that the functioning of self-government institutions is impeded in some municipalities, and some face imminent dissolution due to the introduction of temporary measures. According to him, this weakens Serbia’s position in Kosovo-Metohija.

Nicic criticised the work of the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija which lent insufficient assistance to Serbian municipalities in Kosmet in the previous period. He also requested that the Serbian Government secure a higher amount of funds for the operation of local self-government, stressing that it is in the interest of survival of over 130 000 Serbian and other non-Albanian citizens.

The Committee members pointed out the risk of introduction of customs duties on the remaining two crossings between Serbia and its southern province, in order to achieve visa liberalisation. According to them, that would mean the state retreating from one part of its territory and transferring the struggle for its preservation into the sphere of diplomacy.