GAP and GLPS discussed on Budgeting Practices and Budget Transparency in Municipality of Gjilan

Fisnik Korenica (GLPS) presented the main problems on financial management that municipality of Gjilan is facing. According to the analysis the main financial constrain of Gjilan Municipality is high level debt. Another problem that was pointed out was the exclusion of assembly members, from opposition, and citizens during the budgeting process. 

Berat Thaci (GAP) briefed the participants on the platform “How does the state spend our money?”, which shows the expenditures for each municipality since the year 2010. Until now, GAP platform for public expenditure is linked with the websites of 20 municipalities. Municipality of Gjilan has been one of the first municipalities to  link this platform with its official website.

The chief financial officers of the municipality of Gjilan, Kamenica, Vitia and Novoderdo also contributed in this debate. One of the biggest problems that was mentioned, regarding the governmental grants, was the governmental grant for education. According to Mr. Avni Limani, financial officer of Gjilan Municipality, municipalities of Gjilani region are discriminated regarding their education grant, because the government formula, which is based upon the numbers of students (a class size of minimum 32 pupils)  and which remote villages cannot fulfill . Therefore, they suggested that the education grant for these municipalities should be given according to a different formula in order to have sufficient budget to keep schools in such remote areas open.

In the following days the debates on budgeting practices and budget transparency will be held also in the municipalities’ of Gjakova, Peja, and Ferizaj.

Read the analysis here