“CIVIL SOCIETY SHOULD OFFER SOLUTIONS, NOT ONLY BE CRITICAL TOWARDS POLITICAL FACETS”

ATRC organized a roundtable meeting on March 28 between local NGOs and the political advisers for civil society of the President and Prime Minister of Kosovo, Samet Dalipi and Jahja Lluka, to establish new mechanisms of cooperation based on civil society’s needs.

ATRC organized a roundtable meeting between local
NGOs and the political advisers for civil society of the
President and Prime Minister of Kosovo, Samet Dalipi
and Jahja Lluka

NGO representatives and the political advisers drafted several recommendations, aiming to create stronger ties between governmental and civil society sectors. The recommendations drafted during this meeting included:

-Civil society to be involved actively in drafting the Kosovo budget.   
-Part of Kosovo’s budget to be set aside for NGOs.
-Civil society and governing institutions to have frequent meetings, and their cooperation with central governing institutions to be focused on advocacy issues.
-The government office for gender issues to be converted into an agency.
- An ethical code to be drafted and implemented by the central government.
-The process of approving laws to be sped up.  
-All draft laws should be posted on the government web-site before being approved by the parliament.  
- A national council for disabled people should be founded.
- The Law for assistance of families of disabled people should be approved.  

Jahja Lluka, adviser of the Prime Minister, informed NGOs that the chief of the executive governing body, Agim Çeku, is interested in founding a civil society panel, which he would inform and report to directly.

In addition, Lluka stated, “In the near future, the Office of the Prime Minister will present a project regarding civil society’s engagement in the process of implementing standards for Kosovo.”

NGO representatives commented that civil society should offer specific recommendations and not only be critical towards all facets operating in Kosovo.