Municipalities of Kosovo

A municipality (Albanian: komuna; Serbian: општина / opština) is the basic administrative division in Kosovo and constitutes the only level of power in local governance.^[1] There are 38 municipalities in Kosovo; 27 of which have an Albanian ethnic majority, 10 Serb and 1 Turkish. After the 2013 Brussels Agreement, signed by the governments of Kosovo and Serbia, an agreement was made to create a Community of Serb Municipalities, which would operate within Kosovo's legal framework. Since 2013, the agreement has not been fulfilled by Kosovo's authorities, calling upon its constitution and territorial integrity.

Kosovo's municipalities

List of municipalities

Emblem Stema Amblem	Municipality Komuna Opština[2]	Area[3]	Map Location	Settlements Vendbanimet Naselja[4]	Population (2011)[5][6]	Population (2024)[7]	Change (2011-2024)	Mayor Kryetar/e Gradonačelnik[8]
	Deçan Dečani / Дечани	293.97 km2 (113.50 sq mi)		37	40,019	27,756	−30.64%	Bashkim Ramosaj (AAK)
	Dragash Dragaš / Драгаш	433.85 km2 (167.51 sq mi)		36	33,997	28,908	−14.97%	Bexhet Xheladini (LDK)
	Ferizaj Uroševac / Урошевац	344.61 km2 (133.05 sq mi)		45	108,610	109,345	+0.68%	Agim Aliu (PDK)
	Fushë Kosovë Kosovo Polje / Косово Поље	84.09 km2 (32.47 sq mi)		16	34,827	64,078	+83.99%	Burim Berisha (LDK)
	Gjakova Đakovica / Ђаковица	586.62 km2 (226.50 sq mi)		88	94,556	78,824	−16.64%	Ardian Gjini (AAK)
	Gjilan Gnjilane / Гњилане	391.84 km2 (151.29 sq mi)		49	90,178	82,901	−8.07%	Alban Hyseni (VV)
	Drenas Glogovac / Глоговац	275.63 km2 (106.42 sq mi)		35	58,531	48,054	−17.90%	Ramiz Lladrovci (PDK)
	Graçanicë Gračanica / Грачаница	122.41 km2 (47.26 sq mi)		17	10,675	19,371	+81.46%	Srđan Popović (LS)
	Hani i Elezit Elez Han / Елез Хан	83.11 km2 (32.09 sq mi)		11	9,403	8,600	−8.54%	Mehmet Ballazhi (PDK)
	Istog Istok / Исток	454.36 km2 (175.43 sq mi)		50	39,289	33,066	−15.84%	Ilir Ferati (LDK)
	Junik / Јуник	77.78 km2 (30.03 sq mi)		3	6,084	3,952	−35.04%	Ruzhdi Shehu (LDK)
	Kaçanik Kačanik Качаник	211.28 km2 (81.58 sq mi)		31	33,409	27,742	−16.96%	Besim Ilazi (PDK)
	Kamenicë Kosovska Kamenica / Косовска Каменица	416.61 km2 (160.85 sq mi)		58	36,085	22,898	−36.54%	Kadri Rahimaj (VV)
	Klinë Klina / Клина	309.02 km2 (119.31 sq mi)		54	38,496	30,574	−20.58%	Zenun Elezaj (AAK)
	Kllokot Klokot / Клокот	23.39 km2 (9.03 sq mi)		4	2,556	3,045	+19.13%	Božidar Dejanović (LS)
	Leposaviq Leposavić / Лепосавић	539.05 km2 (208.13 sq mi)		75	13,773	3,207	−76.72%[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]	Lulzim Hetemi (VV)
	Lipjan Lipljan / Липљан	338.41 km2 (130.66 sq mi)		62	57,605	54,974	−4.57%	Imri Ahmeti (LDK)
	Malisheva Mališevo / Малишево	306.42 km2 (118.31 sq mi)		44	54,613	43,871	−19.67%	Ragip Begaj (Nisma)
	Mamusha Mamuša / Мамуша	10.94 km2 (4.22 sq mi)		1	5,507	5,615	+1.96%	Abdulhadi Krasniç (KDTP)
	Mitrovicë Kosovska Mitrovica / Косовска Митровица	329.35 km2 (127.16 sq mi)		47	71,909	64,680	−10.05%	Bedri Hamza (PDK)
	North Mitrovica Severna Kosovska Mitrovica / Северна Косовска Митровица	6.83 km2 (2.64 sq mi)		1	12,326	2,346	−80.97%[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]	Erden Atiq (VV)
	Novobërda Novo Brdo / Ново Брдо	203.98 km2 (78.76 sq mi)		26	6,729	4,495	−33.20%	Svetislav Ivanović (LS)
	Obiliq Obilić / Обилић	104.84 km2 (40.48 sq mi)		20	21,549	22,794	+5.78%	Xhafer Gashi (LDK)
	Partesh Parteš / Партеш	28.67 km2 (11.07 sq mi)		3	1,787	3,251	+81.93%	Dragan Petković (LS)
	Peja Peć / Пећ	602.63 km2 (232.68 sq mi)		79	96,450	82,661	−14.30%	Gazmend Muhaxheri (LDK)
	Podujevë Podujevo / Подујево	632.59 km2 (244.24 sq mi)		77	88,499	71,018	−19.75%	Shpejtim Bulliqi (VV)
	Prishtina Priština / Приштина	523.13 km2 (201.98 sq mi)		43	198,897	227,154	+14.21%	Përparim Rama (LDK)
	Prizren / Призрен	626.86 km2 (242.03 sq mi)		76	177,781	147,428	−17.07%	Shaqir Totaj (PDK)
	Rahovec Orahovac / Ораховац	275.90 km2 (106.53 sq mi)		36	56,208	41,777	−25.67%	Smajl Latifi (AAK)
	Ranillug Ranilug / Ранилуг	77.62 km2 (29.97 sq mi)		13	3,866	2,482	−35.80%	Vladica Aritonović (LS)
	Skenderaj Srbica / Србица	374.37 km2 (144.55 sq mi)		49	50,858	40,632	−20.11%	Fadil Nura (PDK)
	Suhareka Suva Reka / Сува Река	361.04 km2 (139.40 sq mi)		41	59,722	45,713	−23.46%	Bali Muharremaj (AAK)
	Shtërpca Štrpce / Штрпце	247.70 km2 (95.64 sq mi)		16	6,949	10,890	+56.71%	Bratislav Nikolić (LS)
	Shtime Štimlje / Штимље	134.42 km2 (51.90 sq mi)		23	27,324	24,320	−10.99%	Qemajl Aliu (VV)
	Vitia Vitina / Витина	269.69 km2 (104.13 sq mi)		39	46,987	35,549	−24.34%	Sokol Haliti (LDK)
	Vushtrri Vučitrn / Вучитрн	344.85 km2 (133.15 sq mi)		67	69,870	61,493	−11.99%	Ferit Idrizi (PDK)
	Zubin Potoku Zubin Potok / Зубин Поток	334.38 km2 (129.10 sq mi)		61	6,616	758	−88.54%[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]	Izmir Zeqiri (PDK)
	Zveçan Zvečan / Звечан	123.01 km2 (47.49 sq mi)		35	7,481	435	−94.19%[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]	Ilir Peci (PDK)
—	38	10,905.25 km2 (4,210.54 sq mi)	—	1,468	1,780,021	1,586,659	−10.86%	—

Powers of municipalities

All municipalities have the following competences, as regulated by Law Nr. 03/L-040 of the Constitution of Kosovo:^[14]

1. Local economic development.
2. Urban and rural planning.
3. Land use and development.
4. Implementation of building regulations and building control standards.
5. Local environmental protection.
6. Provision and maintenance of public services and utilities, including water supply, sewers and drains, sewage treatment, waste management, local roads, local transport and local heating schemes.
7. Local emergency response.
8. Provision of public pre-primary, primary and secondary education, including registration and licensing of educational institutions, recruitment, payment of salaries and training of education instructors and administrators.
9. Provision of public primary health care.
10. Provision of family and other social welfare services, such as care for the vulnerable, foster care, child care, elderly care, including registration and licensing of these care centers, recruitment, payment of salaries and training of social welfare professionals.
11. Public housing.
12. Public health.
13. Licensing of local services and facilities, including those related to entertainment, cultural and leisure activities, food, lodging, markets, street vendors, local public transportation and taxis.
14. Naming of roads, streets and other public places.
15. Provision and maintenance of public parks and spaces.
16. Tourism.
17. Cultural and leisure activities.
18. Any matter which is not explicitly excluded from their competence nor assigned to other authorities.

Community of Serb Municipalities

The planned Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo

Municipalities with Serb majorities have additional powers over the appointment of local police commanders, religious and cultural heritage sites within their boundaries; some of them have competences over universities and secondary health which in non-Serb-majority municipalities are a matter for central government (and, through the right of association of municipalities, even those Serb-majority municipalities which are not specifically given these powers may exercise them in association with those that do).

The 2013 Brussels Agreement signed by the Government of Kosovo and the Government of Serbia contains provisions for the formation of a Community of Serb Municipalities^[15] (Serbian: Заједница српских општина / Zajednica srpskih opština; Albanian: Asociacioni i komunave serbe) It was expected to be created in 2015, but its formation has been postponed over conflicts about extent of powers.

Former municipalities

Between 1990 and 2000, in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, there were the following additional municipalities:

• Gora
• Opolje (1990–1992, later part of Prizren)

In 2000 both were merged into the new municipality of Dragash. The number of municipalities remained at 30 until 2005, when the new municipality of Malisheva was formed, by taking territories from the municipalities of Orahovac (District of Gjakova), Suva Reka (District of Prizren), Klina (District of Peja) and Drenas (District of Pristina).

See also

• Administrative divisions of Kosovo
• Districts of Kosovo
• Cities and towns in Kosovo
• Populated places in Kosovo
  • Populated places in Kosovo by Albanian name
• Community of Serb Municipalities

Notes

1. Due to the boycott by most municipalities in the north in the 2011 Kosovo census, the exact number of the population of Leposavić, North Mitrovica, Zubin Potok and Zvečan is unknown. Estimates are taken according to a 2014 OSCE report.^{[9][10][11][12]}
2. Due to political tension the Northern Municipalities of Kosovo saw a boycott of the population registration in 2024 ^[13]

References

1. "Organizimi dhe Funksionimi i Vetëqeverisjes Lokale në Kosovë" (PDF). mapl.rks-gov.net. 2013.
2. "Komunat e Kosovës". kk.rks-gov.net.
3. "Raport Fotografik i Matjes së Territorit të Republikës së Kosovës" (PDF). kryeministri-ks.net.
4. "Vendbanimet e Komunave të Kosovës" (PDF). ask.rks-gov.net.
5. "Kosovo Population Census (2011)" (PDF). ask.rks-gov.net.
6. "Albanian Minority Municipalities in Kosovo" (PDF). ecmikosovo.org.
7. "Population and housing census in Kosovo preliminary results - July 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
8. "Rezultatet Përfundimtare të Zgjedhjeve Lokale 2017" (PDF). kqz-ks.org.
9. "OSCE Leposavic estimates". OSCE. 2018.
10. "OSCE Mitrovica North estimate". OSCE. 2018.
11. "OSCE Zubin Potok estimate". OSCE. 2018.
12. "OSCE Zvecan estimates". OSCE. 2018.
13. "Kosovo Starts Census as Serb Parties Call for Boycott". Balkan Insight. 2024.
14. "Law on Local Self Government". Constitution of Kosovo.
15. "Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo to be formed | InSerbia News". Inserbia.info. Retrieved 2015-10-30.

External links

• List of websites of the Municipalities of Kosovo
• OSCE Municipal profiles
• Association of Kosovo Municipalities