Reform of Party Military Administration

The administration in Kosovo, according to analysts, has served and continues to serve for the employment of party militants.

The need for reform in public administration in Kosovo is one of the key priorities for the country's integration into the European Union. European Union officials have consistently called on institutions to advance the European reform agenda, and in particular public administration reform.

Artan Murati of the European Integration Field tells Radio Free Europe that public administration reform is one of the most complicated processes in which a state passes on the road to the European Union.

“With public administration reform means structure of ministries, departments and directors designated how to function, even trends to digitize. In addition, some basic changes are required, such as catalogue of jobs approaching the country's civilian service and wage leveling and, above all, try not to create space for party manipulation in public administration, as has been done in Kosovo”, Murati says.

He adds that Kosovo institutions must do much more to finalise public administration reform, which, says Murati, is the low professional administration and serves to accommodate party militants.

There are several developments that have been undertaken in recent years. A package of laws is now expected, but we are far behind in this respect and it does not appear to have political will to make faster moves, because the public administration in Kosovo serves more for political parties to accommodate in positions or positions party militants”, Murati says.

Former Local Power Minister Sadri Ferati, in a proposal for Radio Free Europe, also considers reforming public administration in Kosovo a very difficult process.

According to him, the biggest difficulties in this process in Kosovo will be presented in depoliticising the administration.

“Reforming the administration is a difficult task -- a task that must be done by depoliticising the administration, professionalising the administration, equal burdens at the workplace. Then, merit advances objective estimates and implementation of all European directives related to the administration field. These are difficult tasks, but Kosovo must take the first step and approach seriously, especially depoliticisation, where serious and objective approach should begin in relation to administration”, Ferati says.

He adds that there are some reforms in public administration that are beginning to take place, but that in this process Kosovo still remains far from the criteria the European Union requires in public administration.

In Kosovo, legal package is under discussion, including the draft law on state administration, the draft law on public officials, and the wage bill.

These three bills are the pillars of the process of reforming and modernising public administration, with the aim of establishing professional public administration, increasing transparency and accountability, and improving citizen services.

However, contacted by Radio Free Europe, Public Administration Minister Mahir Jagcilar has not been suggested on the issue.

Otherwise, in research done by local and international organisations in Kosovo, it was constantly stressed that family ties, bribery and party ties are the most important factors to secure a public administration job in Kosovo.