On the 23rd and 24th of July 2013, UN-Habitat’s Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme (MuSPP), financed by the Swedish Development Corporation, together with the Municipal planning team of Malishevë/Mališevo, has organised a two day workshop in Suharek, for developing strategic development priorities for the Municipal Development Plan (MDP). The workshop included staff from the Municipal planning team in Malishevë, the Institute of Spatial Planning and the Department of Spatial Planning from the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning (MESP), and from UN-Habitat. 

The workshop began with a presentation on the Malishevë MDP current progress, by municipal urbanism officer Mr. Driton Krasniqi, who focused on the spatial development scenarios resulting from the last workshop held in Prizren. He showed maps that represent the integrated scenario and stated that the work is still in progress. Ms. Vjollca Puka, representative from the Department of Spatial Planning / MESP, proceeded with a presentation on the MDP phases and elaborated on the legislation and documentations that are ingredients to develop strategic priorities. Ms. Catarina Camarinhas, representative of UN-Habitat, presented the basic principles of developing strategic development priorities, giving an overview on how to incorporate development priorities into the Malishevë MDP process and providing specific examples from other planning processes. Mr. Davide Geneletti, environmental consultant who is undertaking the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the MDP, presented the current development of the SEA for Malishevë MDP.  He continued to explain the role of the SEA on the strategic development priorities, and emphasised to keep in mind the environment when developing these priorities for the Municipality. 

During the workshop, the participants, divided within thematic areas, had the opportunity to undertake thematic analysis, brainstorm and develop priorities from the MDP objectives. Each group consisted of representatives from the Municipality of Malishevë, from MESP and from UN-Habitat. On the second day of the workshop, there was emphasis on considering actions and activities to develop these priorities. This will allow identifying what are the important economic, social and environmental priorities within the Municipality. The key goal of the workshop was to generate strategic development priorities that will drive the MDP into the implementation phases. It also generated discussions within the Municipality staff on how to prioritise measures within the Municipality of Malishevë.