Pristina, December 19 – The non-governmental organization Syri i Vizioni from Peja on Thursday held a conference with the theme “Active Citizenship” where it also published a summary report on the work it has done in empowering active citizenship. The conference was held in Pristina, where representatives of the MLGA, the Association of Kosovo Municipalities, the Dukagjin Plain Municipalities, civil society and representatives of the villages and neighborhoods of the municipalities of the Peja and Prizren region took part.
“Kosovo needs citizen activation and all of us must work much harder to create more opportunities and space for citizens to be part of the decision-making processes and to address their problems to the institutions at the local and central level. Although work is being done in this direction, it still remains a challenge for institutions at the local and central level”, said Vlora Latifi from the NGO Syri i Vizioni.
On the other hand, Lumnije Demi, director of the office for public communication in the Ministry of Local Government Administration, said that “municipalities have all the legal mechanisms and their support to regulate their cooperation as municipalities with the leaders of villages and neighborhoods urban, to be more transparent and more accountable to the citizens, but still here there has been a deadlock”.
“Citizens’ participation in decision-making processes has been quite small, for which we, as the Minister, have recommended the municipalities to create mechanisms for increasing the participation of citizens or the public in decision-making”, she added.
Meanwhile, the municipal officials present at this meeting agreed with the assessments of the ministry and other participants that the participation of citizens is small in decision-making. Whereas, regarding the municipal regulations for cooperation between municipalities with the representatives of villages and urban neighborhoods, they have expressed concern that even where they have been approved in some municipalities, they cannot be implemented precisely.
“We as the municipality of Klina have not yet approved it, since the mayors who are elected in villages and neighborhoods should be given some kind of payment or incentive for their commitment to be active”, said Ali Shala from the legal office of municipality of Klina.
The municipal officials present at this meeting have asked the MLGA to ask the Ministry of Economy and Finance to draw up a budget line so that the municipalities can receive an incentive or payment for the representatives or elected representatives of the local councils.
On the other hand, civil society and representatives of some villages and urban neighborhoods have said that these leaders or representatives must be stimulated, because now no one wants to make a voluntary contribution, but to have an active citizenry and active leaders who time address their problems towards the institutions should be paid or stimulated.
Shqipe Arifaj from the Association of Municipalities has said that the municipalities have been offered the ready draft regulation that directly connects the citizen with the municipality, but some have not yet approved it. “As an association, we constantly offer training to officials to make them aware of the role and importance of the inclusion and cooperation of the municipality with the citizen and civil society so that the municipalities are more transparent and accountable”, added Arifaj.
The representatives of the villages and neighborhoods of some municipalities have said that the municipalities and other institutions should be close to the citizen both in providing information and providing services.
“Municipalities should be more on the ground, talk with citizens in those areas where they live. It is not always necessary for us citizens to go to the municipality. Forms must be found to stimulate us as representatives to present the problems we face in time”, said Sejdi Baleci from the village of Grabanicë e Klina.
At the end of the conference, some recommendations came out:
• Municipalities should increase communication with citizens through public announcements, regular meetings and through the media,
• The Ministry of Finance, in cooperation with the MLGA and the municipalities, should create means for stimulating the chairmen of local councils,
• To increase the communication of municipal institutions with central ones and with civil society in strengthening active citizenship,
• Institutions should provide more space and create special policies for the empowerment and inclusion of women in decision-making.
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