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The Assembly of the Community of Serbian municipalities (Template:Lang-sr) will be the assembly of the association of local governments created by the municipal authorities in Kosovo elected in the 3 November 2013 Kosovo local elections. It will represent Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo and have full overview of the areas of economic development, education, health, urban and rural planning, according to the Brussels Agreement between the governments of Pristina and Belgrade. The Assembly will act according to competences given by the European Charter of Local Self-Government and Kosovo law. Such an Assembly representing the Serbian municipalities of Kosovo was first formed as the Assembly of the Community of Municipalities of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija following municipal elections organised on 11 May 2008 by the Government of Serbia, which were not recognised by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) or the government of Kosovo. However, the new Assembly is recognised by both the governments of Pristina and Belgrade according to the Brussels Agreement, having the same structure as the previous one, and thus probably being composed of 45 representatives delegated by probably 26 municipalities in the Serbian sense of municipality, being a second-degree local administration under districts, or possibly 10-11 municipalities (Dragaš may or may not participate) in the Albanian sense of the word, being the first order of local administration in Kosovo. Negotiations on such issues are still underway.

History

The Assembly of the Community of Municipalities of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (Template:Lang-sr) was the assembly of the association of local governments in Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo, known as the Association of Serb Municipalities and Settlements of Kosovo and Metohija (Zajednica srpskih opština i naselja Kosova i Metohije). The Assembly was created by the municipal authorities in Serb-majority municipalities elected in local elections organised by the Government of Serbia on 11 May 2008, which were not recognised by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) or the government of Kosovo. The Assembly which was established in Kosovska Mitrovica (North Kosovo) and represented the Serb-majority municipalities that defied the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, was considered illegitimate by the Albanian and UNMIK authorities of Kosovo, as it exercised legislative and executive authority over its territory, mostly in North Kosovo.

The Assembly was composed of 45 representatives delegated by 26 municipalities, with the majority of delegates being ethnic Serbs, while some represented the Gorani, Bosniak and Romani communities. The first session of the Assembly took place on May 11 and the inaugural meeting of the assembly occurred on Vidovdan, the feast day for St. Vitus, June 28 in 2008 — a historically important date for Serbs that commemorates the 1389 Battle of Kosovo - and Radovan Ničić was its first President.

The assembly was not part of the government of the Republic of Kosovo, and its creation was condemned by the President of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu as an act aimed at destabilising Kosovo while the UNMIK had stated that its creation was not a serious issue because the Assembly would not have an operative role.

2013 Brussels Agreement

As part of the Brussels Agreement between the governments of Pristina and Belgrade, the parallel judicial and police system established in Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo were abolished, with their structures being merged into those of the Republic of Kosovo. Additionally, based on the Brussels Agreement, the Assembly of the Community of Municipalities of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija is envisaged to become the assembly of the newly reconstituted Community of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo, being reformed as the Assembly of the Community of Serbian municipalities and having no other power than full overview of the areas of economic development, education, health, urban and rural planning and any other competence recognised to it according to the Agreement. Following the 3 November 2013 Kosovo local elections, the new Assembly is to be established by statute in order to represent the Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo.

According to the Brussels Agreement, the Assembly will act according to competences given by the European Charter of Local Self-Government and Kosovo law, being recognised by both the governments of Pristina and Belgrade and having the same structure as the previous one, and thus probably being composed of 45 representatives delegated by 26 municipalities.

See also

• Serbs in Kosovo
• Kosovo Serb enclaves
• Serbian National Council
• Politics of Kosovo
• Community of Serbian municipalities
• Brussels Agreement

References

1. ^ "Kosovo Serbs launch new assembly". BBC News. 2008-06-28. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
2. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2014&mm=02&dd=12&nav_id=89296
3. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2014&mm=03&dd=31&nav_id=89824
4. "Serbs form rival Kosovo assembly". BBC News. 2008-06-14. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
5. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2008&mm=06&dd=28&nav_id=51459
6. Vesna Peric Zimonjic (2008-06-29). "Kosovo Serbs set up rival assembly". The Independent. UK. Archived from the original on June 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-29. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
7. Ben Cahoon. "Kosovo". Worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
8. "Kosovo Serbs convene parliament; Pristina, international authorities object". Southeast European Times. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-07-01.

External links

• Declaration of Establishing the Assembly of the Community of Municipalities of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija Template:En icon
• Deklaracija o osnivanju Skupštine Zajednice opština Autonomne Pokrajine Kosovo i Metohija Template:Sr icon

• 2008 in Kosovo
• 2014 in Kosovo
• Politics of Serbia
• Politics of Kosovo
• Parallel structures in Kosovo
• Kosovar Serbs
• 2008 establishments in Serbia
• 2014 establishments in Serbia