Radojevic: Administrative instruction on joint committee threatens stability of North Mitrovica municipality

The Mayor of North Mitrovica, Milan Radojevic, stated that the administrative instruction on the establishment of a joint committee of the municipalities of South and North Mitrovica, signed by Kosovo’s Minister of Local Government Administration Elbert Krasniqi, does not contribute to de-escalation, but could have serious consequences for the functioning of the Municipality of North Mitrovica.

He pointed out that, instead of fostering trust between the two municipalities, the document contains a number of contentious provisions which, in his view, open the door to outvoting and the imposition of decisions, potentially leading to the gradual erosion of the competencies of the Municipality of North Mitrovica.

“Yesterday’s administrative instruction signed by the Minister of Local Government Administration on the establishment of a joint committee between the municipalities of South and North Mitrovica does absolutely nothing to promote reconciliation or build bridges of trust. On the contrary, it contains a number of provisions which, frankly speaking, pose a greater threat to the Municipality of North Mitrovica than they contribute to its development or any other objective,” Radojevic stated.

Referring to the disputed provisions, Radojevic highlighted in particular those relating to the composition of the joint committee and the appointment of its leadership, assessing that such a model could lead to outvoting and undermine the balance between the two municipalities.

“For example, Article 4, which regulates the composition of the committee, stipulates that it will consist of five members from the Municipality of South Mitrovica and five from the Municipality of North Mitrovica. However, the issue lies in the same article, which provides that the chairperson of the committee is to be appointed by the Prime Minister of Kosovo. At a time when we know that Albin Kurti heads that government, it is clear that this is not in the interest of North Mitrovica. Citizens should also be aware that the establishment of such a committee was part of the Ahtisaari Plan, but one crucial provision of that plan was that the chairperson should be a representative of the international community, not appointed by the Prime Minister of Kosovo. Under current circumstances, where institutions are not functioning properly and we are even approaching new elections, the appointment of the chairperson by Kurti would certainly not benefit North Mitrovica or its citizens,” he said.

He also drew attention to Article 6, which grants the chairperson extensive powers, effectively concentrating the authority of both the municipality and the mayor in that position, as the chairperson represents the committee before central authorities and other relevant institutions. Additionally, Article 12 was identified as problematic, as it provides the chairperson with a casting vote. This means that if five members from one municipality vote in favor and the chairperson sides with them, decisions would become binding for both municipalities. According to Radojevic, such mechanisms could enable decisions to be imposed on North Mitrovica, raising concerns about the direction in which the legal framework may evolve.

The mayor emphasized that this administrative instruction does not contribute to reducing tensions between the municipalities of South and North Mitrovica, but rather aims at the gradual dismantling of the competencies of North Mitrovica.

When asked about the potential role and practical significance of the planned joint committee, and whether it could ensure equal treatment of all communities on the ground, Radojevic criticized the current approach of both local and central institutions, stressing the need for equal engagement toward all citizens.

“This is a question for the committee, the government, and the mayor of South Mitrovica, who, as we can see, are taking a rather aggressive approach toward the Municipality of North Mitrovica and are highly proactive when it comes to assisting citizens of Albanian nationality in North Mitrovica. As a municipality, we respect all citizens living in our territory and take pride in being a multiethnic urban community. However, we would like to see the same level of multiethnicity in South Mitrovica. We would like to see both the Prime Minister and the Mayor of South Mitrovica show the same level of commitment in helping Serbs return to their apartments in the southern part of the city, supporting their reconstruction, and providing them with business premises so they can develop their livelihoods. That would be an equitable approach that benefits citizens of both municipalities,” he stated.

Radojevic further assessed that such approaches have a clear objective — the complete dissolution of the Municipality of North Mitrovica and the unification of Mitrovica into a single municipality, i.e., one city — which, he noted, has long been the goal of the Self-Determination movement and, consequently, of the current government.

Speaking about next steps, he said that concerns had already been forwarded to representatives of the international community, expressing the expectation that they would recognize the seriousness of the situation and respond in order to protect the interests of citizens.

“Of course, we have shared this administrative instruction with representatives of the international community and pointed out its problematic provisions, just as we are doing now by informing the public. We hope that the international community will recognize the seriousness of this document and understand that it does not contribute to its intended purpose — the building of trust. On the contrary, in a situation where we are witnessing a rather aggressive approach by the Municipality of South Mitrovica and central authorities toward North Mitrovica, we expect the international community to take a clear stance and help ensure that the situation is resolved in the interest of citizens,” Radojevic concluded.

According to Minister Elbert Krasniqi, the administrative instruction on the Mitrovica Committee is intended to regulate the “organization and functioning of the Mitrovica Committee,” which, he noted, will continue to play an important role in cooperation between the two municipalities and in the implementation of joint projects aimed at improving citizens’ quality of life.