Context
Municipal mayors of Kosovo, in last two terms of local governance got elected directly by popular vote. This has brought about a system change, which in turn caused no substantial improvement of efficiency in public service delivery. Let alone the latter, in last three years, the rule of law is being seriously challenged. The municipal executive is promoting another quality of governance and service delivery. However, this is not a desired and positive change, while the municipal executive (particularly the mayor) is transforming into the main address of responsibility and accountability, when it comes to good governance and quality public services for citizens.
The executive oversight (especially the lawfulness) is a major challenge of local governance in Kosovo. While the Ministry of Local Government Administration is yet to act effectively, neither Municipal Assemblies, nor the judicial institutions have the capacity of performing in ensuring the rule of law. Civil society so far has managed to monitor and report on the activities of the municipal legislative, while the mayor and the rest of executive are left uncovered, and therefore feel no citizen pressure in executing their functions.
The transparency web-site will become a permanent instrument of reporting on local governance (transparency and good governance), while advocacy activities and addressing identified malpractices through legal means will produce long-term effects to stimulate transparency in decision-making. In parallel, the project will strengthen the access of civil society to local government decision-making, thus raising the civil society – local government dialogue, and improve local good governance.
EC Ma Ndryshe has already started with the test-phase of this project (from April 1st 2012) and is currently involved in monitoring the work of Prizren Mayor, and Departments of Education and Health. So far, the monitoring has revealed some interesting findings, namely: the low level of publication of decisions, underutilized website of the municipality, the lack of an Annual Work Plan of the Mayor and the violation of the legal provisions with regard to providing an official answer to citizen requests through Petitions and other forms of participation. EC Ma Ndryshe is the only organization monitoring the executive branch of the municipality in Prizren, as civil society lacks proper capacities in monitoring the work of local government (with the exception of an NGO which monitors the Municipal Assembly of Prizren). The test-phase of this project will last until August 2012, and it is supported by the Kosova Foundation for Open Society.
