The state budget will provide 17.1% more funding for municipalities than last year. Arbjan Mazniku, Minister of State for Local Government, noted in his report to Parliament, in response to questions from opposition members, that this increase demonstrates the government’s priority approach to local government.

“In 2015, municipalities spent 2.3 percent of GDP, but now they spend 3.43 percent,” he said. “This shows that municipalities are providing more and higher quality services to citizens,” said Minister Mazniku.

Mazniku also responded to the opposition’s questions about municipal staff, saying that the Local Government Academy was established to train municipal staff to meet the necessary requirements when EU legislation is implemented in 70% of local units.

Mazniku responded to the opposition’s questions about the migration of staff between local units by saying, “With the increase in salaries, employment in municipalities has become competitive with the private sector. In addition, the division of municipal staff into primary pillars has increased the protection of employees under the Civil Service Law,” the minister said.