Government dissolves local organs in Kosovo

The government appointed the heads and members of provisional bodies in these municipalities, the government office for media relations has stated.The government formed a management team at its meeting on Tuesday to establish the association of Serb municipalities in Kosovo. Mayors of Zvecan, Kosovska Mitrovica, and Zubin Potok, Dragisa Milovic, Dragisa Vlaskovic, and Stevan Bozovic said that they had not been officially notified of the decision, but that they expected it. Vlaskovic and Bozovic would not offer any further comment, while Milovic said he understood that the assemblies of Zvecan and Zubin Potok were dissolved because their mandates had expired, but was unclear why Leposavic and Kosovska Mitrovica were also included in this decision. Zvecan and Zubin Potok held local elections in May, but the government did not recognize them. "It is clear that the Brussels agreement must be implemented, and that municipal assemblies in northern Kosovo will not do that," said Milovic, and added that it is possible that the latest round of the Kosovo dialogue concluded that the assemblies should be dissolved. According to him, councilors in Zvecan decided at their last session to continue with their work until the Constitutional Court of Serbia declared itself on the provisions of the Brussels agreement.The mayor expressed his concern that the current situation could lead to a destabilization in northern Kosovo. "That would not be good, especially for us who live here, but that is the reality, while we have been expecting the decision on the dismissals as this was announced several weeks ago," Milovic concluded.