MEDIA RELEASES
Active citizenship and its role in decision-making
Pristina, October 10, 2016
The non-governmental organization “Eye of Vision” today, in Pristina, held a conference on the topic “Active Citizenship and its role in decision-making” where representatives of Kosovo’s municipalities, women assembly members, heads of local councils of villages and neighborhoods of the municipalities of the region of Peja and Prizren, civil society, with which the program aimed at promoting active citizenship in Kosovo is being developed.
The activation of citizens and their active role in decision-making remained a challenge for the municipalities and the government, since the lack of budget for the stimulation of the bodies or mechanisms created by the municipality and which is obliged by the various Ministries meant that these bodies or mechanisms were not powerful in the representation of citizens’ interests in decision-making. The main problem remains the non-stimulation of the heads of local councils established in some municipalities of Kosovo, despite the desire and opportunities for stimulation on the part of the municipalities, such a thing is not allowed by the Ministry of Finance.
Representatives of municipalities, civil society, representatives of municipal assemblies and the Ministry of Local Government Administration have called on the Ministry of Finance to create a specific budget code on the basis of which municipalities will report their expenses for the stimulation of the heads of local councils and of commissions or other committees that are in the interest of the municipality and the citizens themselves.
Islam Husaj, chairman of the Municipal Assembly in Peja, said that “The government should not force us as a municipality to create bodies or mechanisms, and on the other hand, it does not impose budget costs even in those cases when the municipalities have the opportunity, it does not allow payments to be made, which it causes problems for us as a municipality in the implementation of legal and sub-legal acts”.
On the other hand, the representative of MLGA, Mr. Gëzim Sinani said that “We, as the minister, are monitoring the municipalities in the implementation of legal acts and obligations, but the budget remains a bit challenging, as some municipalities make payments for the bodies they create and others do not, and the work of payments for the bodies created by the municipalities and we will commit ourselves to find opportunities together with the Minister of Finance to allow the municipalities to make payments or to stimulate the bodies created specifically by the heads of local councils”.
All those present agreed that if the chairmen of the local councils and other commissions are not stimulated, then their longevity and survival will be in question, and they have emphasized that even if they exist or are re-established, there will not be adequate staff that can contribute to what they were created for as they are today, but they will still be formalities.
An important part of the conference was the role of women in decision-making, where the participants said that a lot of work should be done so that women have this key and important role in decision-making and not only to fill the gender quota. Likewise, the representatives of female assemblymen, gender equality offices and women in key positions in municipalities invited to this roundtable said that “women need support, from women themselves, as women have not been made aware that they need to support each other”.
It was also emphasized that the family and society play a big role for women to come to decision-making and leadership positions according to the quality and professionalism they have, but unfortunately men dominate in key positions, according to those present at this conference.
“The recommendations from this table, we will try to find opportunities to realize them together with you by exercising our advocacy influence, each from his institution, so that in Kosovo we have an active citizenry and a key role in decision-making,” said Mrs. Vlora Latifi from Eye of Vision NGO.
The week of active citizenship will continue to be implemented with various activities in the centers of the cities of Pejë, Istog, Klinë, Deçan and Rahovec, this campaign is organized within the “Active Citizenship” program which “Eye of Vision” implements in the municipalities of region of Peja and Prizren, supported by Olof Palme International Center and SIDA.
________________
