News and Events
Ministry of Environment and UN-HABITAT Kosovo Office meet with MuSPP Counterparts
Under the motto “Making Better Cities Together”, the UN-HABITAT representatives and the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning (MESP) met on 1 of February with the deputy-minister of the Ministry of Local Government and Administration (MLGA), Mr. Shpend Tërdevci, Ms. Ann-Sofie Nilsson, the head of Swedish Liaison Office, mayors of Gjakova/Djakovica, Prizren, Ferizaj/Urosevac, Pejë/Pec and Gjilan/Gnjilane and representatives from Mitrovica municipality and the executive director of the Association of Kosovo municipalities (AKM), Mr. Sazan Ibrahimi.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the status of current Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme (MuSPP) status and its future activities, but also to confirm the commitment to the continuation of the next phase of the MuSP programme during the next three years.
Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Mr. Mahir Yagcilar stressed that Kosovo is in a transition period and faces lots of challenges on urban planning and environmental aspects. “The Ministry is fully engaged in improvement of living conditions for the citizens through policy development and legislative means. This can be achieved with close cooperation with other institutions, local and international organisations, NGO’s and citizens”, he said.
The discussion of deputy-minister Mr. Shpend Tërdevci was focused on explaining the work of the MLGA vis-à-vis municipalities in accordance with the European Chart on Local Governance. The new UNMIK regulation on Municipal Self-Government (2007/30) has new requirements for municipal structures, and the MLGA is progressively working in the advancement of this regulation and its implementation.
Ms. Nilsson’s explained that the Swedish Government long term strategy for Kosovo has in the focus the environment and climate change, and in this context the local ownership of the planning process and its results is of at most importance. This is supported by MuSP programme through its daily work with municipalities and citizens.
While speaking about close cooperation of UN-HABITAT with the Association of Kosovo Municipalities, Mr. Sazan Ibrahimi-executive director of AKM, stressed the need for the support of the Collegium on Spatial Planning as an Forum for experience sharing and facilitation of planning activities.
Explaining the mandate of UN-HABITAT as an agency for promoting human settlements, the UN-HABITAT representative,
Municipal representatives of six MuSP municipalities while speaking about the work of UN-HABITAT and the Sidas’s support presented the current situation in the planning process as regards the plans and demo-projects. They used this forum to present their concerns in terms of planning process too.
In conclusion of the meeting, was followed with an interesting discussion. Participants in the meeting agreed that pro-active co-ordination and co-operation between Ministries and Municipalities, associations, donor agencies and other organisations is needed, as this is the only way to advance spatial and urban planning process and recommended the need for further support of spatial and urban planning processes.