GLPS cites Kurt's promise of reshaping the government, highlights three-year impasses

According to the analysis realised, Kurti Government has not brought the country any new recognition until the need for long-term elections is stressed, as according to G The LPS, short-term solutions damage Kosovo's integration path.

Nimza Arifi, programme manager at GLPS, has listed the achievements and impasses of the prime minister's three-year rule, Albin Kurti. It has said that the third year of governance continues to be marked by the phenomenon of positions of taskeers, exceeding mostly legal deadlines.

Overall, the third year of governance, such as the previous years, continues to be marked by the phenomenon of positions of taskeers by overstepping most legal deadlines. Of the 16 total institutions, including 15 prime minister's ministries and office, only four are headed by secretaries with regular mandates. This phenomenon continues to undermine the functioning of public administration in Kosovo. We've stressed the need for a government reformation due to a lack of performance in a few dictatorships. Although this was warned by Prime Minister Kurti, this has not happened. We are entering the fourth and last year, and the need for reforming that has been unequivocally, has not been experienced during this time... The phenomenon of lack of transparency and accountability still remains pronounced”, Arifi said.

According to her, law-governing reforms have continued to take the lead in the government agenda even during the third year, adding that the particular focus of the assessment they have accomplished is on reform of the justice system's ownership, the initiative for reforming the legal framework for the prosecutorial system, fighting corruption and organised crime, and the national strategy for fighting corruption.

Arifi has said that during this year there has been constant criticism of the executive's tendency to intervene in the justice system, through public statements against the judiciary and prosecution, what he said one of the key documents in the field of rule of law remains the National Strategy for Ending Law 2021-2026.

She has also said that as regards the Bureau for Confiscating Unjustified Riches, there has been no movement in this direction since the same bill has been sent to the Constitutional Court for assessment of constitutionality, which has already been a year.

While talking about fighting corruption and organised crime, she said Kosovo is estimated to still be in an early phase in the fight against corruption and organised crime.

Kosovo is estimated to still be in an early phase in the fight against corruption and organised crime. Although significant anti-corruption legislation has been adopted, implementation in practice remains disturbing. However, during this year as a positive sign in fighting organised crime and corruption, police operations against smuggling in northern Kosovo can be seen. During this time, concrete steps were made in the destruction of drug labs, illegal smuggling routes, cryptova peace labs... G The LPS also considers increased efforts should be made to establish the Agency for Prevention of Corruption's internal capacities, taking into account the expansion of competencies with the new law approved for the institution. Because of the extended mandate, it remains very important that this Agency be offered all conditions for proper exercise of its” mandate, she said.

GLPS also requires as early absorption of the scandal, which resulted in media dealing with the purchase of state reserves during this third year of governance.

On the other hand, GLPS Executive Director Abreshere Loja- Stubula has criticised the Government on the proposed amendments to the Law for Public Officials (LZP).

We consider that these changes are contrary to the Constitution and principles of public administration. First of all, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MPB) -- as the sponsor body of this law -- followed an unacceptable procedure, making it closed to the participation of concerned acts. In particular, not publishing this process on the platform of public consultations violates the basic rules of consultations, violating the principle of transparency, but also fosters doubts about the legitimacy and sustainability of decisions made. With this bill (LZP), the government once again testified to its preference for task advisers. With the proposed act, the term of taskkeepers has lasted up to 2 years, a clear indication of the government's tendency to legitimise a dangerous phenomenon that makes these officials more sensitive to daily political interventions... On the other hand, the Law on the Pagans continues to face successive challenges in practice as a result of the failure to finalise the process of placing the huge portion of public institutions<3>, Loja-Stubla said.

Stublla has also said government Kurti II has failed to secure any additional recognition or membership in international mechanisms.

“Entering last year, government Kurti II has failed to secure any additional recognition or membership in international mechanisms. G The LPS considers that the Kurti II Government is failing to secure an effective strategy in terms of foreign policy, and efforts remain extremely limited, with no concrete results either in ensuring new recognitions or in proper communication with the five non-recognising EU states. As seen in the third year, MPJD seems more focused on empowering relations with Diaspora than on trying to provide a consistent foreign policy framework... The GLPS also considers that straining in relations with international allies, continuing tensions in the Serb majority northern municipalities, and stagnation in normalising relations with Serbia continue to be key factors that undermine Kosovo's foreign policy efforts and hinder further international recognition ... The proposed approach and policies demonstrate short-term solutions, causing lack of stability and privileged the policies of the moment while neglecting the country's long-term development goals.”, Loxha-Stubla said.

Among other things, she has said that since March last year, and especially after the attack on Banjska in September, dialogue with Serbia has consumed most of Prime Minister Kurti's foreign policy efforts during this third year.

“GLPS considers EU measures have resulted in political, economic and technical damage for Kosovo, and they show an asymmetric approach to the two states in dialogue. The European Integration Process remains still limited within the mechanisms of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and the European Agency for Reform... since March of last year, and especially after the attack on Banjska in September, dialogue with Serbia has consumed most of the foreign policy efforts of Prime Minister Kurti during this third year... G The LPS considers that the mild response to Serbia and the aggressive attitude towards Kosovo pose a strategic mistake of the international community, jeopardising the entire dialogue process. Therefore, a balanced approach by the EU, is essential for the normalisation process to yield results”, Loja- Stublla has added.

GLPS also stresses that the integration of Kosovo Serb citizens remains essential, adding that it falls on the government's responsibility to develop a strategy aimed at integrating the Kosovo Serb community, offering economic, social and political incentives. /Kosovo pres/