Chief of Civil International Office (ICO) Peter Feith appointed 12 members each for municipal preparation teams for a new municipality of Partez and enlarged municipality of Novo Brdo, it was announced by the ICO.

After appointing members of the preparation teams, Feith said that decentralization is making a stable progress and that the process will continue in the province after the local elections in November.

According to Feith, it is very important to include all communities in the decentralization process in order to secure democratic legality of newly founded municipalities within the shortest period of time, while in the case of Partez and northern Mitrovica it is expected to be completed within six months from the local elections, the latest.

A preparation team has yet to be set up for a new municipality of northern Mitrovica, which is included in the decentralization process in Kosovo and Metohija under mediator Ahtisaari's plan. Ahtisaari's plan has never been adopted by the UN SC due to the Russian Federation's opposition.