Opening of the public review of Municipal Development Plan of Malishevë/Mališevo 2017-2025 and Strategic Environmental Assessment marked the entering of these strategic municipal development documents on their final step. As a continuation of public presentations, discussions and workshops with different stakeholders, through which the participatory approach was built throughout the drafting process, this public review will provide an opportunity for citizens to give their comments, suggestions and proposals on presented plan drafts before their finalisation.

Public review was opened on 15 September in the Municipal Assembly hall. Besides citizens, the public review was also attended by the Mayor of Malishevë/Mališevo, head of the UN-Habitat Programme in Kosovo, representatives of MESP, civil society representatives, and municipal officials.

In his opening speech, the mayor of Malishevë/Mališevo, Ragip Begaj, praised the Municipal Development Plan as a document with special importance for Malishevë/Mališevo. The Mayor expressed his acknowledgments for the drafting team, as well as for UN-Habitat and MESP for the support they provided during the process. Also, the mayor stressed the importance of public participation and contribution to the process.

In her speech, the Head of the Division for Spatial Planning within MESP, Suzana Goranci, emphasised the importance of this document, which is drafted according the new Law on Spatial Planning. Mrs. Goranci stressed that Municipal Development Plan as a strategic document precedes other spatial planning documents at the regulatory level.

Head of UN-Habitat Programme in Kosovo, Gwendoline Mennetrier, stressed the importance of drafting the Municipal Development Plan through in-house approach, which has also contributed in enhancing municipal professional capacities. Considering that Malishevë/Mališevo is the first municipality which is drafting Municipal Development Plan according to the new Law on Spatial Planning, this should be seen as an opportunity to exchange professional experiences of Malishevë/Mališevo with other municipalities.

Municipal Development Plan 2017-2025 and Strategic Environmental Assessment were presented by the coordinator of municipal drafting team, Valdete Morina. Mrs. Morina presented the key-components of these documents, starting from the situation assessment, strategic orientation elements, as well as concrete steps in the action plan.

As a part of the public review that will take place during 15 September - 15 October, public presentations are also foreseen in the villages of Malishevë/Mališevo municipality. Citizens can access these documents via the municipal web-site, as well as directly through the documents presented in the municipal building hall. Comments and suggestions that will be given during this period will be taken into account as the final contribution in concluding the drafts of the Municipal Development Plan and Strategic Environmental Assessment.