Muja began to open up, but certainly not enough

After continuous calls of Transparency Forum to the mayor of Prizren, Ramadan Muja, to open decision-making process, few days ago he decided to unlock his meetings with heads of directorates for media and civil society. For Transparency Forum this move presents a positive move towards transparency and accountability, but in no way a full fruition of these principles of democratic governance. Therefore, we urge the mayor to follow-up this initial action with other significant steps. Opening the meetings wherein voting is done by default and decisions are taken after being agreed beforehand presents a dim demonstration of transparency and accountability.

To keep up with genuine actions toward democratic governance, we seek from the mayor publication of all materials (proposals) a week before the holding of meeting with his heads of departments. This would allow the opening of decision-making and would provide sufficient time to all stakeholders to provide comments before final decisions are taken. Since the mayor has established the practice of preliminary meetings with the heads of departments (a week before decision-making meetings), we insist to open up those meetings as well for the media and civil society. Read the press release.