Thank you very much!<\/p>\n
Honourable Mayor Aliu,<\/p>\n
Secretary Ahmeti,<\/p>\n
Honourable Mayors from all municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo,<\/p>\n
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your participation today. The purpose of this meeting, as Mayor Aliu mentioned, is that in addition to addressing some specific topics that we agreed on in the meeting we had with the Board of Mayors, at the same time, I as the President will hear directly from you about the challenges you face as a municipality and about your interest in increasing cooperation with the central level, considering what the Presidency as an institution can do in this regard.<\/p>\n
I believe that this meeting is an opportunity to reaffirm our common commitment to improving the lives of citizens. Therefore, I would like to thank each of you for your continuous efforts to, through your work, increase the quality of life for the citizens living in your municipalities.<\/p>\n
Many problems that are a daily encounter in the municipalities that you represent, even exceed the administrative borders of the municipalities, because their scope is much wider, the complexity of the topics is much greater and their solution requires the mobilization of all of us together.<\/p>\n
One of these problems, for which we have invited this joint meeting, is undoubtedly gender-based violence.<\/p>\n
Before meeting with the mayors of the municipalities, of course, I had intensive meetings with the justice institutions, with the relevant ministries at the central level, with our security institutions and with other organizations, which have direct competences to deal with and confront this extremely serious problem, which is an emergency that each of us must deal with.<\/p>\n
But, of course, the municipalities can also make their contribution to eliminating this terrible phenomenon.<\/p>\n
Gender-based violence, unfortunately, has gained momentum. In recent months, we had two more murders of women. Therefore, we must have a reaction that is not only urgent, but also coordinated, because each of us knows that proper coordination of institutions and the functioning of each link where victims of gender-based violence can seek support is the only solution for eliminating this phenomenon and increasing the effectiveness of preventive measures.<\/p>\n
Of course, even at the municipal level, it is necessary for victims of gender-based violence to feel supported, because that is the first place where help is sought.<\/p>\n
We are very aware that the Police in the vast majority of cases are the first responders and we are in close and daily cooperation with the Police in this regard. However, at the same time, there are also Social Work Centres that are within the scope of the municipality and where, unfortunately, we also had a case where the murder occurred right there. Therefore, the first topic I want to discuss with you is: how can we all contribute together to increasing security in the Social Work Centres.<\/p>\n
From what we have discussed with the Board of Mayors, there is a willingness from most mayors to increase security in the Social Work Centres, from installing scanners at the beginning, so that no one can enter there, whether armed or not, without some kind of screening about the presence of this person who may pose a risk, to the necessary training that must be provided to the officials of the social work centres, so that they can provide the necessary support to victims of violence.<\/p>\n
I understand that one of the main problems is that the municipalities currently do not have enough officials in these Social Work Centres.<\/p>\n
Therefore, I am here to say that I fully support each of your requests for budget allocation, in order to increase the number of officials who will then deal with the prevention and provision of support to victims who are victims of gender-based violence.<\/p>\n
The second issue concerns the reintegration and rehabilitation of victims. You know that in a number of municipalities there are shelters, but many other municipalities do not have shelters, where victims of violence can go in cases of leaving the environment where violence has occurred.<\/p>\n
First, we must ensure that each municipality in Kosovo has a shelter, which has sustainable funding.<\/p>\n
As Presidency, we have repeatedly called for there to be a separate budget line within the budget of the Republic of Kosovo. However, in the event that there are obstacles to sustainable funding, I ask that you as a municipality, as a large number of mayors have responded, and others to be supportive, so that these centres, which in most cases are managed by NGOs, are not left at any time without the basic services that victims of gender-based violence need.<\/p>\n
But, in addition to shelter, the victim needs to be economically empowered, so that after leaving the shelter, they do not return to the place where the violence occurred. And here, I believe, the municipality Economic independence of the victims, the possibility for their training, the possibility for their employment, so that they are not forced to return to an environment that could then result in their murder.<\/p>\n
This, in addition to desire, is also a legal obligation that we have at both the central and local levels, in accordance with Article 24 of the Law on Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Violence.<\/p>\n
Educational programs are extremely necessary to exist at the municipal level, so that both victims and children continue their preparation, so that they are independent even after cases of violence.<\/p>\n
But, when we talk about education, I want to specifically mention early education here, not only as a point for strengthening the education system in Kosovo, but also as an element that affects the reduction of gender-based violence.<\/p>\n
Countries that have been successful in reducing the percentage of gender-based violence are countries that offer early education, consequently, they offer kindergartens, they offer a public preschool system, affordable for all their citizens.<\/p>\n
The more women, in this case mothers, have the opportunity to send their children to kindergarten, the more they will have the opportunity to apply for jobs, enter the labour market, become economically independent. And in the case of domestic violence, not to remain hostage to a violent environment, which can end with their murder.<\/p>\n
So, investing in the early education system has a transformative effect on a society, which also results in the elimination of violence, not only with the education of the child.<\/p>\n
I was informed by the mayors when we met that there is a problem regarding the construction of nurseries, but then the lack of sufficient budget for the staff in those nurseries and they remain empty. And here I join your call: nurseries should not remain empty, nurseries are there for children, but in addition to children, the contribution is for the entire family and the contribution is then for the entire society, because the more there is early education of the child, the more productive they will be in society when they grow up, and the more the mother will be economically independent, consequently, she will be able to fight gender-based violence.<\/p>\n
So we will do our best to jointly overcome this problem of the lack of budgeting for the personnel that is necessary for the early education system, for all those nurseries that are built, kindergartens that are built in your municipalities.<\/p>\n
In addition, in terms of gender-based violence, it is very important to have temporary social housing.<\/p>\n
These so-called shelters are there for a very short period of time. Some municipalities have the possibility of providing temporary social housing, some do not, however, as long as there is a possibility to treat victims of gender-based violence as an emergency category, to whom something like this is offered, it is very important.<\/p>\n
These are just some of the issues, but of course during our discussion we will talk about a long list of topics that we think can be undertaken at the local level to combat gender-based violence.<\/p>\n
I am aware that perhaps many of them in some municipalities have already begun to be implemented. Some of them you will probably inform me today that they cannot be implemented, whether for budgetary or other reasons. But, as with any other problem, the first step is diagnosis. We must identify the problem and what is the medicine that cures it, what is the act, the action that we must undertake, in order to eliminate this stain on our society, which we can and must all fight together.<\/p>\n
The second topic, I am only briefly mentioning it, we addressed in the meeting with the Board of Mayors, has to do with cooperation at the level of tourism.<\/p>\n
We have agreed as the Office of the Presidency, together with the Republic of Albania, and since Albania is today the second destination in the world in terms of tourism, that the municipalities of Kosovo should also be included in the joint digital platforms, which they will offer to Kosovo at no additional cost, and consequently, a large number of tourists who come to visit Albania will automatically have all the information about Kosovo, and I believe that this will have a positive impact on an extremely large increase in tourism in our country, where we will be able to offer tourists from all over the world the extraordinary beauties of Kosovo.<\/p>\n
We are used to hearing about Albania, wherever we go, in Europe and the USA, but I just returned from Latin America and there is no one there who does not mention Albania as a major tourist destination.<\/p>\n
What does this mean? This very close cooperation, which we as the Presidency want to mediate, between Albania and the municipalities of Kosovo, I am convinced that it will bring tourists from all over the world, even from Latin America and distant countries, from other continents, to Kosovo and will open up much greater economic prospects, of course, within the potential that we have.<\/p>\n
And, the last one has to do with another issue that we have discussed with the mayors about the daily stay for people with special needs. There are some ideas that we have, but we will probably be able to realize them at first only with two or three municipalities, which could be like a pilot, which already have the opportunity to have staff. It is a joint project with UNDP, but in addition to these three issues, namely, gender-based violence, tourism, and issues related to supporting children with special needs, allow me to emphasize once again what I have said in every meeting with each of you that I have met before. The doors of the Presidency of the Republic of Kosovo, as the head of state, are always open to each mayor, vice mayor and all citizens of the municipalities that you represent.<\/p>\n
Our common task is for our citizens to live better every day. In that, party does not matter, ethnicity does not matter, I would say gender does not matter, but you are all men at the head of municipalities, so in this regard, know that, although I am very happy that we have several female vice mayors among us today in this meeting, and I welcome you and offer you full support and backing in the projects that they promote.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
However, you should know that the Presidency not only always has its doors open, but also an open mind to cooperate with each of you and to support every project, every idea that is in the interest of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, as is our duty and what each of us was elected for.<\/p>\n
Thank you once again to everyone for the welcome and of course now we can discuss in more detail all the topics that were touched upon.<\/p>\n