PRISTINA, 21 July 2017 – Today, the EU Office in Kosovo/EU Special Representative has had to cancel EUR 7.8 million of financial assistance to North Mitrovica.

The projects foresaw the construction of a cultural centre and of a new university building in North Mitrovica. Unfortunately, the local authorities failed to remove the existing illegal buildings and free the access to all working areas.

The EUO/EUSR regrets the cancellation of these projects, which were to benefit the educational and cultural sectors in North Mitrovica. The EU considers these sectors as key to Kosovo's progress and calls on the authorities, including at the local level, to spare no effort to make quality education a priority.

The EU, which contributes almost EUR 100 million of financial assistance to Kosovo per year, remains committed to work closely with the authorities to invest in Kosovo's education, culture, rule of law and economic development.

The EU assistance provides support to all areas in Kosovo and to all communities, including 38.5 million euro specifically for northern Kosovo mainly allocated for infrastructure (cultural centre, university building, municipal building in North Mitrovica, waste treatment facility and sports hall in Zvecan, kindergarten and health centre in Leposavic, new roads in Zubin Potok and Leposavic). 8.5 million euro were allocated for the new bus station and health centre in North Mitrovica, reconstruction of the sewage system and water supply in Zvecan, and for SME and CSO grants in all northern municipalities, which are all currently under implementation. Since 2012, the EU has given over 3.5 million euro to 35 agricultural projects in North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zvecan and Zubin Potok to support local producers based in northern Kosovo.

Background on the projects:

The new building of the North Mitrovica University, worth over 4.5 million euro, was to comprise a basement and five floors. If was to include classrooms, amphitheatres, laboratories, a black box theatre, a library, offices, a restaurant and an underground parking. The landscaping was a part of the project.

The construction of the Cultural Centre in North Mitrovica, worth 3.3 million euro, was to be accompanied with the construction of related infrastructure including access road and car park, landscaping of the site and external lighting, road and car park drainage, etc.