The municipality is the institution closest to the citizens. Unlike central institutions, which deal with national policies, municipalities take care of issues that directly affect the daily lives of citizens. From local streets, public lighting, park maintenance, urban planning and school support, to sports, culture, environmental protection and local economic development – these are all areas in which the municipality plays a significant role.
Although almost every citizen has had contact with the municipality at least once, few know how it works, who makes decisions, who implements them and how the municipal administration is organized.
Knowing the organization of the municipality is the first step towards active citizenship. When we know how local self-government works, it is easier to know where to turn to for a particular problem, how to propose ideas for our community and how to demand accountability from public institutions.
The Municipality – the level of government closest to the citizens
In the Republic of North Macedonia, municipalities are units of local self-government. This means that they have legally established competencies for managing a large number of public services on their territory.
The Municipality of Tetovo is responsible for urban planning, local economic development, maintenance of communal infrastructure, environmental protection, primary and secondary education, culture, sports, youth policies, part of social protection, as well as many other services that directly affect the quality of life of citizens.
To realize these competencies, the municipality is organized through several bodies and a professional administration, where each has clearly defined tasks and responsibilities.
The Mayor – the Executive Body of the Municipality
The Mayor is the executive body of the municipality and represents the municipality before the citizens and other institutions.
He is elected directly by the citizens in local elections held every four years. Every citizen with the right to vote has the opportunity to vote for the candidate he believes will best lead the municipality. If in the first round no candidate receives the required majority according to the electoral legislation, a second round is organized between the two candidates with the highest number of votes.
The role of the Mayor is not only representative. He manages the municipal administration, ensures the implementation of the decisions of the Municipal Council, proposes the budget, coordinates investments, manages municipal property and ensures that public services function smoothly.
In addition, the Mayor cooperates with the Government, ministries, other municipalities, international organizations and donors in order to secure investments and projects that contribute to the development of Tetovo.
The Municipal Council – the voice of the citizens
In addition to the mayor, the Municipal Council also plays a very important role in local self-government.
The Council is a representative body of the citizens and is composed of councilors elected in local elections. Unlike the mayor, councilors are elected according to a proportional electoral system. This means that political parties and independent lists receive councilor seats depending on the number of votes they win.
The Tetovo Municipal Council has 31 councilors, who have a four-year mandate and represent the interests of the citizens in the decision-making process.
It is often thought that the Council is only a place where political debates are held. In reality, it is the institution where the most important decisions for the municipality are made. The Council adopts the budget, urban plans, annual work programs, decisions on capital investments, municipal acts and other strategic documents that affect the development of the city.
At the same time, the Council supervises the work of the mayor and the municipal administration. Through public sessions, review of reports, and advisory questions, he ensures that institutions work in the interests of citizens and in accordance with the laws.
The Municipal Administration – the Engine That Moves the Municipality
Although political decisions are made by the Mayor and the Council, their implementation is carried out by the municipal administration.
The administration is composed of administrative officers, lawyers, economists, architects, engineers, IT specialists, environmental experts, inspectors and other professionals who work every day to provide quality services to citizens.
The work of the administration does not only take place at the counters. A large part of the activities are carried out in the field, through project planning, supervision of investments, control of the implementation of laws, preparation of strategic documents and coordination of public services.
To be more efficient, the administration of the Municipality of Tetovo is organized into sectors and specialized units, each with clearly defined competencies. In the next article in this series, we will present in detail all sectors of the Municipality of Tetovo, their competencies and the services they provide.
Who manages the sectors?
One of the most common questions is who appoints the heads of departments and are they elected by the citizens.
The answer is – no.
The heads of departments are not elected in elections, nor are they elected by the Municipal Council. They are appointed by the mayor, in accordance with the Law on Local Self-Government, the Law on Administrative Servants and the acts on internal organization of the municipality.
Their task is to organize the work of the departments, coordinate the staff, monitor the execution of work tasks and ensure that the administration functions professionally and efficiently.
In practice, they represent a link between the political leadership of the municipality and the professional administration.
How are decisions made?
Every major decision goes through several stages. First, the municipal administration prepares the analyses, documents and proposals. Then, the mayor reviews them and, if they concern issues that are within the competence of the Council, submits them for discussion and adoption at a Council session.
After their adoption, the municipal administration is responsible for their practical implementation. In this way, cooperation is established between the administration, the mayor and the Council, with each having a clearly defined role and responsibility.
Why is it important for young people to know the municipality?
It is often said that young people should be more active in public life. However, active participation begins with information. It is difficult to propose changes or demand accountability if we do not know who makes the decisions and how the institution responsible for them functions.
When young people know the organization of the municipality, they can participate in public consultations, follow the sessions of the Council, launch civic initiatives, communicate with the competent services and demand greater transparency in the use of public funds.
This is precisely the essence of local democracy – for citizens to not only be users of public services, but also active participants in the development of their community.
Knowing the municipality is the first step towards active citizenship
The Municipality of Tetovo is not just an institution where documents are issued or requests are submitted. It is the institution that plans the development of the city, manages public funds, invests in infrastructure, supports education, culture and sports and creates conditions for local economic development.
The better we understand the organization and functioning of the municipality, the easier it is for us to understand the decisions that are made on our behalf. Knowing the local government is not just useful information – it is the basis for active citizenship and for creating a more transparent, responsible and democratic community.
In the following text, we will present in detail the municipal administration of the Municipality of Tetovo, all its sectors, their competencies and the services they provide to citizens on a daily basis.
This activity is supported by the CIVICUS Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI)