Minister Çollaku in Gjakova: Kosovo`s EU integration starts from municipalities

During the meeting, Minister Çollaku and Mayor Kusari-Lila discussed with regard to the work and responsibilities in the domain of these two institutions in relation to visa liberalisation process, with particular emphasis on the reintegration of repatriated persons within this municipality, whereby the two interlocutors expressed their readiness for cooperation in order to provide better conditions to all returnees in this municipality.

“The role of the municipalities in the European integration process is essential and irreplaceable, therefore we need to strengthen cooperation with the municipalities in the process of European integration, considering that European Union integration is a process of transformation of the society, which cannot be conducted from top-down, Kosovo`s EU integration commences from the municipalities ”

Minister Çollaku congratulated the Municipality of Gjakova for providing conditions and full rights to communities in this Municipality “I congratulate the Municipality of Gjakova for allocating  these 4 hectares of land for use and construction of houses for the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, and I, as a Minister and Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee, will continue to support the integration of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, through the Strategy and Action Plan” stated  minister Çollaku.

Whereas, Mayor of Gjakova initially expressed her gratitude to Minister Çollaku for this visit, expressing the high possibilities of cooperation with the central level on providing better conditions to all residents of the municipality. She expressed her beliefs that Kosovo will have its well deserved place in the large European family.

Otherwise, during 2014, 4.610 persons have been repatriated in Kosovo, of which 1,258 voluntarily, whereas 3,352 had repatriation forced upon them. In the municipality of Gjakova, during 2014, 321 persons were readmitted.