Newsroom
Assembly Support Initiative session focuses on legislative integrity in Kosovo
PRISTINA 19 March 2002
PRISTINA, 19 March 2002 - Members of Kosovo's Assembly are gathering today to participate in a comprehensive training series, aiming to strengthen democratic structures through the development of a culture of good governance.
The goal of the two-day workshop is to raise awareness on the challenges and opportunities of the legislative branch in earning public trust. Discussion will focus on the principles of representative and accountable government - legislative ethics, transparency, and oversight of the executive.
"Democracy entails a responsibility to the electorate and the establishment of a bond between the people and the institutions of government. Elected representatives should understand and act upon democratic principles so that an effective and responsive government can endure in Kosovo," said Carolyn McCool, Director of the Mission's Democratization Department.
The programme is intended to complement the considerable skills and experience of Assembly members to use principles of good governance in legislative work. Through this focus on open and transparent government practices, including being able to communicate their legislative mandate, institutions of self-government can develop and enable legislators to play a constructive role in political and public life.
Parliamentarians from Belgium, Bulgaria, Romania and the United Kingdom will offer their experiences to Assembly members about the importance of being responsive to those in society on whose behalf they represent and work.
The workshop is co-ordinated by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This is the third event of the Assembly Support Initiative, a multi-agency support programme that comes in response to the many challenges facing the Kosovo Assembly. OSCE's commitment to institution building means supporting the continued development of democratic structures and support of institutional stability in Kosovo.
The goal of the two-day workshop is to raise awareness on the challenges and opportunities of the legislative branch in earning public trust. Discussion will focus on the principles of representative and accountable government - legislative ethics, transparency, and oversight of the executive.
"Democracy entails a responsibility to the electorate and the establishment of a bond between the people and the institutions of government. Elected representatives should understand and act upon democratic principles so that an effective and responsive government can endure in Kosovo," said Carolyn McCool, Director of the Mission's Democratization Department.
The programme is intended to complement the considerable skills and experience of Assembly members to use principles of good governance in legislative work. Through this focus on open and transparent government practices, including being able to communicate their legislative mandate, institutions of self-government can develop and enable legislators to play a constructive role in political and public life.
Parliamentarians from Belgium, Bulgaria, Romania and the United Kingdom will offer their experiences to Assembly members about the importance of being responsive to those in society on whose behalf they represent and work.
The workshop is co-ordinated by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This is the third event of the Assembly Support Initiative, a multi-agency support programme that comes in response to the many challenges facing the Kosovo Assembly. OSCE's commitment to institution building means supporting the continued development of democratic structures and support of institutional stability in Kosovo.