Oversight and civic participation
The Mission has been strongly involved in the work of the Kosovo institutions since 1999. It assisted the Assembly of Kosovo with its procedures and staff know-how, and helped set up several independent bodies dealing with media, legal and electoral issues, among others. Over time, the Mission’s engagement with the Kosovo institution changed; nowadays, it helps the Assembly oversee the work of government; assists municipal bodies with the management of their administrative and financial duties; and advises on how to improve transparency and civic participation in Kosovo.
Executive oversight
The Mission organizes coaching sessions and gives technical assistance to six committees of the Kosovo Assembly to help them better oversee the work of the executive branch of government. They include the committees on human rights and gender equality; education, youth, public administration and media; and security and internal affairs. On the municipal level, the Mission assists municipal assemblies and their committee members in looking over the work of the municipal executives, particularly on financial management and the implementation of local laws and policies. It also encourages municipal assemblies and committees to involve civil society and the general public in their sessions, not only to monitor but also to participate in the decision-making process.
Independent institutions
The independent institutions established with the Mission's help since the end of the 1990s range from the Kosovo Judicial Institute to the Independent Media Commission, the Central Election Commission, the Ombudsperson Institution, and the Independent Oversight Board for Civil Service in Kosovo. All of these oversee or support certain aspects of the work done by the executive or judicial branches of government. The Mission continues to support these institutions through training, technical advice and advocacy, helping ensure with this the impartiality of those bodies. The institutions report to the Kosovo Assembly, which in turn guarantees their financial independence and makes sure that government complies with its decisions and recommendations.
Transparency and civic participation
Improving the interaction between the Assembly and civil society is an important element in the Mission’s long-term effort to help make legislative processes more transparent and involve the general public more strongly. It supported the Assembly in developing its communications strategy and an online application system and database for the registration of civil society organizations. Similar initiatives exist on the municipal level, where the Mission encourages village leaders and others to get involved in developing budget plans, youth policies and action plans on issues such as forest protection.