The Republic of Serbia is composed of 164 communes (opstina) and 29 districts (okruzi). In addition, there is the autonomous province (autonomne pokrajine)of Vojvodina. Kosovo is currently administered by the United Nations (see below).The capital city, Belgrade, has a dual statute of city and district.
Local level: 164 municipalities and 29 districts
Municipal authorities:
The municipal assembly (skupstina opstine) is composed of councillors elected by direct universal suffrage for a four-year term. The assembly enacts municipal statutes, rules of procedure, development programs, the budget, local urban plans and other municipal regulations. It also appoints and dismisses amongst others the members of the municipal board, and the president of the assembly.
The mayor (predsednik opstine/gradonacelnik) is the executive body and is elected by direct universal suffrage for 4 years. The mayor represents the municipality, chairs the municipal council, directly implements decisions of the assembly, directs and harmonises the work of municipal administration, passes individual acts etc. (S)he appoints her/his deputy with the assembly's consent.
The municipal/town council monitors the work of the municipal administration. It is headed chaired by the mayor. The number of its members is established by municipal statute. The council draws the draft budget, monitors the work of the municipal assembly, takes decisions on appeal in administrative procedure, assists the mayor etc.
Competences:
> Tourism
> Public transports
> Urban planning
> School facilities
> Municipal administration
> Water supply and electricity
> Social care
Authorities of the districts:
Districts correspond to State executive offices. The central government provides the districts with a specific budget for the implementation of its decisions. Districts do not have legislative competences.
Autonomous province of Vojvodina
Provincial authorities:
The assembly of the autonomous province is composed of deputies elected in direct universal election and of a president. This deliberative board of the province enacts programmes of economic, regional and social development and adopts a budget. The assembly is the highest representative organ of the province.
The executive council is composed of elected members and vice-presidents who are responsible to the assembly. This body is the executive organ of the province.
Competences:
> Economic and financial development
> Urban planning
> Agriculture & fishery
> The environment
> Road and railways maintenance
> Social welfare
> Health care
> Education
> Culture, tourism
> Exercising human and minority rights
Autonomous provinces have direct financial revenues and provide the resources for municipalities in their territory.
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KOSOVO
Kosovo has been administrated by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since 1999 under Council Resolution 1244. It is composed of 5 districts (okruzi) and 30 municipalities (Komuna / Opstina).
Municipalities are under strict supervision by the representative of the Secretary General of the UN in Kosovo who has a representative in each of them.
Municipalities perform tasks set out by the UNMIK
Regulation on self-government in Kosovo while being entitled to carry out other activities “as are necessary for the proper administration of the municipality and which are not assigned elsewhere in the law”.
Each municipality has an assembly whose members are elected by universal direct suffrage. It adopts the budget and votes on issues specified in the Regulation. The municipal assembly elects the president and her/his deputy from its members. The president is the executive body of the municipality
Districts are administration bodies and consist of a jurisdiction of municipalities.
