All numbers presented here are based on estimates by the Municipal Government

General Information
Deçan/Decani is a municipality located in the west of Kosovo. It is a former stronghold of the Kosovo Liberation Army and has a registered population of just over 67000.  It is home to the important Serbian Orthodox Visoki Decani Monastery, with a small number of Serbian Orthodox clergy residing in the monastery. Albanians make up the vast majority of the population in Deçan/Decani, although there are small communities of Roma, Egyptians and Bosnians living in the municipality. According to the Local Community Office the biggest problem facing communities in the municipality of Deçan/Decani is the high unemployment rate. A previous survey also indicated the lack of social assistance, and inadequate health and educational facilities as problematic.

Important Contact Details
Municipal Website: http://kk.rks-gov.net/decan
Telephone: 0390/361-100

Demographics
Deçan/Decani saw a great movement of people in the aftermath of the 1999 conflict, with practically the entire Serb community and a large part of the Bosniak community moving away from the municipality. There have been a handful of returns from the Serb community, who live around the Deçan/Decani Monastery, and there are some Roma and Egyptian community members and Bosniaks living in the municipality. Today, most community members live in Dubovik/Dubovik, Shaptej/Šaptelj, Irzniq/Irznic, Gramaqel/Gramocelj, Deçan/Decani, Prapaqan/Papracane, Pozhar/Požar, Baballoq/Babaloc, Pemiste. 

Accurate population statistics are not available for Kosovo. The numbers presented here are approximate estimates by the Local Community Office, cross checked with OSCE Municipal Profiles and Civil Society. For more information on Statistics in Kosovo click here 

* The 1991 census results are considered unreliable due to a boycott by the Albanian population

Political Representation
The AAK is the ruling party in Deçan/Decani. It represents the Albanian majority in the municipality. Its candidate, Mr. Rasim Selmanaj was also elected Mayor of Deçan/Decani. He was elected in the first round, with 68 percent of votes. Communities are guaranteed representation in the municipal system through the Commission of Communities, which has seven members, and the Local Community Office, which employs four people.  No community representatives have been elected to the Municipal Assembly.

Safety and Freedom of Movement
There have been no incidents reported in the past year concerning ethnically motivated threats, hostility or violence. The Kosovo Police Service is primarily responsible for the security in Deçan/Decani. Italian KFOR troops are responsible for protecting the Visoki Deçan/Decani Monastery. Members of communities are generally satisfied with the performance of these institutions and feel safe to move around the municipality. 

Education
Deçan/Decani offers primary and secondary educational institutions. Around 10.000 pupils attend the schools in this municipality, out of which approximately 7.800 in primary schools, 2.200 are on secondary schools. Elementary schools employ 384 and secondary schools employ 120 persons. The approximate number of non-Albanian communities are 74 of which 17 are Kosovo Bosniaks and 57 are from the Roma and Egyptian communities. Education is offered in Albanian, however one primary school is offering language combined education. Some Bosniak students attend a secondary school in Pejë/Pec, with transport being provided by the municipal government, while for Serbian language education community members visit secondary schools in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica or Gorazhdevc/Goraždevac. There are no problems reported concerning acquiring education.

*these numbers only refer to the official educational institutions

*these numbers only refer to the official educational institutions

Returns
In Deçan/Deqani, as a result of the boycott of he meetings of Municipal Groups for Returns by the representatives of the displaced persons, the foreseen strategy for return is still not approved yet. According to the Municipal Office of Communities and Returns in Deçan/Deqani, a total of 730 displaced persons from this municipality are living in Serbia and Montenegro. Besides the interest of the municipality to return, so far only three Serbians returned, in addition to 32 monks who live in the Decani Monastery.

Reasons for the difficult return process are the lack of will because of the political situation with the displaced persons, but also the lack of employment opportunities, the lack of secondary education in the Serbian language and political pressures from Serbia on returnees, were indicated. Moreover, according to a report by the Humanitarian Law Center, returnees face difficulties in acquiring relevant documents in the Serbian language. There were no incidents reported with regard to returnees last year. 

Economy
Most people in Deçan/Decani are employed in the agricultural sector. Following OSCE, 65 percent of the population is involved in agriculture. The existing, small private enterprises focus their activities on services and manufacturing. The closure of socially owned enterprises after the war caused a high level of unemployment.  The most important issue facing communities regarding the economic situation is the lack of employment opportunities.

*many unemployed, particularly Serbs, are not registered as such

*these numbers only refer to the official institutions

Access to Health Care and Other Public Services (Police/Administration/Public Companies/etc.)

Health Care 

Basic health services in the municipality are organized by public and private sector. Health house “Adem Ukehahxaj” is implementing the Family Medicine as a particular form of primary organization of healthcare.ithin the health house, three family medicine centers and seven ambulances are organized.  All non-Albanian residents in the municipality have complete access to the health facilities, 

Other Public Institutions

Communities can receive documents in both Serbian and Albanian. There have been no registered problems among communities with communicating with public institutions.
List of Community Organisations