The reform in public administration is one of the key objectives in the program of the Government of Kosovo, but there is politicization in the recruitment processes and a lack of meritocracy.
This is what the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said at the annual conference "Par Progresi Kosova 2023", organized by the Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS), while the EU ambassador in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog said that the European Union does not agree with the way how the government has chosen to review the Law on Public Officials.
Prime Minister Kurti said that efficient public administration is an essential prerequisite for development, adding that this is also one of the government's key objectives.
"Public administration reform is one of the key objectives in our government's program. In the relationship between the state, citizens and the private sector, the role of public administration is brought to life. Also, there is a need for the interaction between these actors to be principled.
The Republic of Kosovo has clearly defined its orientation and state policies towards membership in the European Union, we have undertaken the burden of reforming vital sectors, including the reform of public administration. The factors and causes that have influenced the need for a fundamental reform in public administration have varied over the years. However, in a constant manner, they have grasped the urgency for the administration to respond to the development of the times and the social context in the country", said Kurti.
The chief executive added that meritocracy, transparency, accountability and non-discrimination enable efficient public administration. However, Kurti added that local and international reports have highlighted the opposite.
"These reports have emphasized that we have politicization in the recruitment processes and lack of meritocracy. Then in Kosovo we had a lack of professionalization, professional development and qualitative training.
That there is a lack of accountability and also a lack of adequate performance measurement. In the past years, the local and international reports have found these four findings, which we must address both fully and urgently", stated Kurti.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti emphasized that they are waiting for the final decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the Law on public officials.
Meanwhile, the EU ambassador in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, has criticized the procedure for approving this law, saying that he does not agree with the way the government has reviewed it.
"The two approvals that were made at the end of the year regarding the revisions of the Law on Wages and the Law on Public Servants, as we said before, we do not agree with the approach taken by the assembly to approve these laws in a quick procedure.
Because such laws should include useful consultations with all interested parties. However, these consultations have not been carried out on the basis of the relevant regulations... The new law on public officials, which is being reviewed by the Constitutional Court, this law is directly related to the principles of modern public administration.
We recognize that there is a gap in this regard. The EU does not agree with the way the government has chosen to review this law and I am sorry to say that the comments made by the EU and SIGMA, none of them have been taken into account by the government or parliament.
Public officials place them at a risk of corruption and political influence. Although there are some vacancies, no recruitment has been done since two years. The new law will not create conditions to recruit people in these vacant positions", he declared.
The executive director of GLPS, Arbëresha Loxha Stublla, has spoken about the importance of reform in public administration, stressing that it is one of the fundamental processes for countries aiming for membership in the European Union.
"These processes define what really makes the public administration fully functional, in order to provide services to the citizens of the country, in a transparent, effective and efficient manner and also to help the economic development of the country.
The countries of the Western Balkans, including Kosovo, are monitored by SIGMA based on the methodology and principles supported by the European Union. Since 2016, monitoring from the perspective of civil society has been added to this perspective", she concluded. /kp/
