Communists are not transparent in procurement

The lack of budgetary transparency, the denial of access to public documents, the low number of public hearings, the impasse of transparency at public auctions, are some of the shortcomings of municipalities during 2017.

Thus have the directors of KDI and USAID announced today, during the launch of Transparency “Index in Public Procurement 2017” for Kosovo municipalities.

US Ambassador Greg Delawi said procurement reform is vital for addressing corruption.

“By law municipalities must publish their Web procurement information, but today's report tells us that there are many municipalities that are behind in fulfilling this task. Many municipalities have not met the legal requirements for public hearing. We hope that municipal governments will take this issue more seriously and retain more public hearings”, Delawi said.

According to him, this index presents a good opportunity for citizens to seek accounts from municipal officials, as well as the possibility of municipalities improving for a better future.

While Diana Metushi Krasniqi researchers in KDI, who introduced the findings of the report, announced that there are nine municipalities that have offered no access to documents like: Dragashi, Leposaviqi, North Mitrovica, Ranilugu, Klokoti, Junik, Zubin Potoku, Shtrpca and Zvecani.

As he unveiled some of his other findings.

“53 per cent of municipalities have not published their approved budget for 2017, which is a major problem since 2016, this was 50:50”, she stressed.

According to her, during research it has been observed that there is a halt to transparency during public auctions, where, as she said, citizens are not being given equal opportunities to purchase these assets.

And Rosafa Ukimeraj, secretary general of the MAP, confirmed that despite progress made in some areas, municipal transparency remains a challenge. As he counted some of the positive facts that have marked municipalities in the area of transparency, where he said Kosovo is the only country in the region that has integrated into municipal pages all legal acts.

While Vushtrri chairman Xhafer Tahiri said that since today, the municipality he leads will be the fourth in a row to begin with publishing the tender contracts.