The Minister of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, Xhelal Sveçla, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Public Administration, "KosovaPAR2024", where he highlighted the progress made in public administration reform and the importance of these reforms for the path towards integration into the European Union.
Sveçla underlined the progress in the field of the rule of law, political and civil rights, the fight against corruption, as well as freedom of the press.
He highlighted the obvious improvements in public administration, especially in the increase in the number of digital services offered to citizens through the e-Kosova platform, from 120 services last year to over 180 services this year.
"Significant progress has been made in the inclusion of women in the administration, with 63.3% of officials recruited this year being women," said Sveçla, emphasizing the commitment to gender equality and the creation of equal opportunities.
He also mentioned the challenges that remain, including human resource management, and announced plans to establish the National School of Public Administration in collaboration with the advisory board for public administration.
Sveçla emphasized that this school will serve as a model for the region.
In conclusion, the minister thanked the participants and expressed the commitment of the institutions for the continuation of reforms in public administration.
His full speech:Welcome to the second international conference on public administration KosovaPAR2024. Your presence for the second time in a year shows your commitment to the success of the conference. I thank you all for your arrival and active participation in the discussions about the transformation and modernization of the public administration. Last year, the conference addressed the topic "Public Administration Reforms for Flexible and Sustainable Governance". This year, we have expanded the topic to examine whether reform efforts stem from the need to catch up or to advance further. In my opinion, both are valid. Not only has the situation in the administration improved and is on the right track, but the overall situation in Kosovo, be it in terms of the economy, the rule of law and democracy, is significantly more promising. The Republic of Kosovo is ranked first in the Western Balkans for improving the rule of law by the World Justice Project; for the improvement of political rights and civil liberties by Freedom House; for the advancement in the fight against corruption by Transparency International; and for press freedom by Reporters Without Borders and many other processes. Despite the challenges in the field of public administration, we have achieved significant progress. Progress has been made in the implementation of the law on salaries and public officials, pushing forward the process of necessary reforms in the administration, with the aim of modernization, professionalization and the provision of quality and fast services in the public administration. All this in the service of our commitment towards EU integration. Also, progress has been noted in the restructuring of ministries and agencies, with special emphasis on the digitization of administrative procedures and public services. Compared to last year's situation when around 120 public services were offered, today the e-Kosova digital platform offers citizens access to over 180 services, or a 50% increase in the provision of digital services. Another positive aspect in the general trend is undoubtedly the reduction of the gap in the administration between the involvement of women and men. During the year 2023, 48.3% of women were employed in public administration, while this year, 63.3% of officials recruited in public administration are women. Undoubtedly, this increase is also a result of the new law for public officials that has created equal opportunities for everyone and the opening of the administration, for a new generation that brings new energy and knowledge to public administration. This is an indication of the progress we have made for gender equality and creating equal opportunities for all. However, the challenges remain, so meetings like these, in addition to enabling us to discuss them, also help in providing concrete and professional recommendations on the way forward. Undoubtedly, and for a while, the biggest challenge will remain mainly in the management of human resources. Therefore, we are working to implement the creation of a National School of Public Administration, in close cooperation with the advisory board for public administration. This school, which will exceed the capacities of the Institute of Public Administration (IKAP), will serve as a model for the region. Dear participants, Kosovo has made significant progress thanks to the dedication of our institutions and the support of international partners and many friends and professionals. Therefore, being aware that reforms in public administration are a key element for improving the lives of our citizens and for building a stable democracy, our commitment will be maximum. Thank you for your participation and I wish you successful work at this conference! /telegraph/
