MuSPP management met with the Mayor of Ferizaj/Urosevac on 9^th March 2010 to discuss ongoing cooperation on the identification of flood-affected areas. The purpose of this meeting was to present technical flooding advice to the Mayor and municipal staff, in order to obtain a decision on the optimum solution in the identified spot improvement area.

Professor Zoran Milutinovic from IZIIS presented technical advice, outlining the two main solutions on offer, being: remediation of the riverbed (retaining wall) without straightening the line of the river, and correction of the central line of the river with remediation of the riverbed. Discussions were also made on the potential for flood impacts to be exacerbated if the proposed technical intervention is to proceed. The professor noted that little impact would be made on downstream land currently being used for agricultural purposes based on initial investigations, however, he noted that further investigations are required by the municipal staff.

Questions were raised as to whether decisions to concerning agricultural land downstream, currently identified as a future residential area in the UDP, should be amended, so that development is restricted in this area. Discussions were also made as to the technical feasibility of straightening the riverbed in the spot improvement area. Land currently housing a temporary sports facility is in private ownership and would require negotiations with the land owner.

Following the conclusion of the meeting in the Mayor’s office, discussions continued with the Director of Urbanism, Director of Planning, Municipal counterpart and MuSPP staff.  It was established that the outcomes and impacts of the project are the responsibility of the municipality. To progress this project further and to meet the deadline of the CIP panel presentation, the municipal agreed to prepare a written response outlining what their preferred technical solution would be.