During a recent protest organized by the Association of Kosovo Municipalities, Smajl Latifi, the Mayor of the Rahovec Municipality, addressed attendees while speaking on behalf of local governmental bodies impacted by recent flooding. Latifi detailed the extensive damage sustained across his municipality, noting losses in agricultural lands, damage to residential properties, and financial setbacks for local businesses. Furthermore, he highlighted significant damage to essential communal infrastructure.
Speaking at the protest in Pristina, Latifi emphasized the critical role municipalities play during such crises. He stated that while the municipality is the primary institution responding on the ground, its financial capacity to manage the scale of the disaster is limited. Latifi explained the administrative process following the floods, confirming that damage assessments are conducted by specialized commissions and that resulting reports are submitted to the central government level.
He clarified the delineation of responsibility, adding that once these reports are submitted, the authority for decision-making and the securing of necessary financial means rests with the central government. The address by Latifi underscored the financial strain on local governance structures. The gathering served as a platform for the Association to draw attention to the gap between the immediate needs identified at the municipal level and the available resources from central authorities.
The statements from the mayor highlighted the dependency of local recovery efforts on decisive action and funding from the national government.
Topics: #latifi #municipality #protest
