In September 2018, WFD launched the three-year Western Balkans Democracy Initiative to strengthen political parties, parliamentary practice and democratic institutions in the region. In Kosovo, we worked with political parties on a series of internal reforms in line with European standards.
Our programme of support followed on from a 2016 project, in partnership with the British Embassy in Pristina that worked with political parties.
Like many countries in the region, democratic reform in Kosovo is motivated by the European Union integration process, however the current pace of realising reforms is slow.
Support for democracy is a central focus of international assistance, but security and stability is often prioritised. This resulted in a political scene which is highly polarised with political parties having limited connection to ideology, frequent stalemates and lack of genuine democratic processes.
Political parties are central to the governance challenges countries face and their effectiveness can make-or-break reforms. In Kosovo, we are supporting political parties to meet European standards with regards to democracy, rule of law, transparency and ideology.
We will also work with the Central Election Commission to set up a new Political Party Office. This will help increase the credibility and authority of the Commission when it comes to working with political parties. Developing criteria and guidelines for new members of staff as well as coaching for office management will help improve compliance by political parties. Currently political party compliance with the Commission’s guidance is poor.
Parliaments in the Western Balkans are often seen as solely legislative bodies since they mainly focus on debates and legislation adoption. Oversight is often limited to budget oversight and very little effort is put into organising effective oversight over the law implementation processes. Recently, parliaments in the Western Balkan region have been introduced to the […]
The ability to speak your mind in a public or social matter should not be a privilege. We like to think that getting involved in local or even national politics is an option for those willing to contribute and help improve life in their community. Until recently, however, this was not a possibility within reach for Ljubisha Saveski, a 40-year-old father and fashion designer […]
On 14 February 2021, a snap election took place in Kosovo. The short timeframe for holding the elections, the political and judicial controversies that led to it, and Covid-19 meant that the electoral system was under pressure. Due to the pandemic, the presence of international observers was limited, and domestic observers were also forced to […]
