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Newsletter Mission in Kosovo December 2003, No 09

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Newsletter Mission in Kosovo December 2003, No 09 AASISI ASSEMBLY SUPPORT INITIATIVE osce Newsletter Mission in Kosovo December 2003, No 09 •Parliaments from South-East Europe meet in Sarajevo •Three parliaments support Assembly of Kosoovovo • Anti-discrimination Law under review 2 ASI newsletter From the editor Thank you, Friedhelm and Rita ! It was a remarkable scene that day, 3rd of October 2003 in Sarajevo. Parliamentarians from South-East Europe met in the “Konak” residence, the place where Franz Ferdinand, After two and a half years of dedicated work in Kosovo Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, died in 1914. The assault on him was a crucial Dr. Friedhelm Frischenschlager is returning to Austria. moment prior to the First World War. Almost 90 years later and at the same place, As former Minister of Defense of Austria and former parliamentarians from the whole region, from Vienna to Sofia, from Tirana to Belgrade, Member of the European Parliament, Dr. Frischenschlager met to discuss common challenges in socio-economic development and poverty reduction. extensively contributed to the work of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, first as head of the Political Party The Kosovo delegation, headed by prof. Daci, met colleagues from 10 other parliaments. The Division, afterwards as director of the Democratization multi-lateral framework of this conference, organised by OSCE, facilitated discussions in Department. He closely followed the developments in the the workshops at technical level, bringing in expertise of specialised Committees, including Assembly of Kosovo and encouraged the work of the from MPs from Kosovo and Serbia. Articles in this Newsletter give further information and Assembly Support Initiative (ASI). feed-back on this conference and its results, outlining the need for Kosovo MPs to further Also Rita Taphorn is leaving Kosovo. She worked more engage in direct dialogue on practical issues with their colleagues from the region. then three years in the OSCE Mission, first in the As this is the last ASI Newsletter for this year, one can find information on various Elections Department, afterwards in the Central Assembly capacity building activities with the Assembly, in particular a presentation of the support Support Team of the Democratization Department. With program of three parliaments, financed by the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR). a lot of energy and enthusiasm she facilitated meetings You will also find interviews with and articles from various Assembly Members and from with Assembly Members and staff and substantially the Minister of Education who visited Germany together with the Assembly Committee on contributed to the co-ordination work with various parliaments, foundations and country offices. She has Education. been one of the driving forces behind the Assembly Support OSCE Democratization Department and all partner organisations in the Assembly Support Initiative (ASI) and is well respected by the Assembly Initiative (ASI) are committed to contribute to strengthen the Assembly. This Newsletter Members and staff. gives news on that. Your feedback is most welcome. Friedhelm and Rita, thank you very much for your contribution. Good luck in your further activities during the coming years. We hope that you will visit Kosovo also Franklin De Vrieze, in the future. Assembly Support Initiative Co-ordinator. ASI newsletter 33 Three parliaments support Assembly of Kosovo An 18 months European Agency of Reconstruction (EAR) support programme for the Assembly of Kosovo has now become operational. A consortium of three European parliaments, including the French Assemblée Nationale, the German Bundestag and the Belgian Chambre des Représentants, together with the Institut International de Paris La Défense is entrusted with carrying out the programme. A team of experts headed by Mr. Nicolas Maziau, Professor of Public Law in France, has recently taken up its work. ASI spoke to him and two of his team members, Mr. Alfred Drescher, former Head of Personnel in the German Bundestag and Prof. Heinrich Grosse-Sender, former Secretary General of the Landtag of North-Rhine-Westfalia. Interview by David Buerstedde, Office of Political Affairs of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. First of all, Prof. Maziau, of society. The aim is also associated the Consortium. On the tell us about the team that not only to bring relevant the German Bun- Assembly side, Prof. Fatmir will be implementing this experience to the Assembly destag and the Sejdiu represents the As- project? but also make sure that Spanish Cámara sembly Presidency and Mr. de los Diputados. Nicolas Maziau: The team the Assembly maintains Ysuf Demaj the Secretariat. There has been consists of the Team leader, and enhances its links with The Advisory Board will quite a number of three key experts, two of Kosovo civil society. As for meet every three months such multi-lateral them are with us today the international experts, to review implementation initiatives taking and a third, Mr. Peter it is interesting to mention of the project. place over recent Vanhoutte, former mem- that all experts involved years. What, then, are the main ber of the Belgian Chambre in the project are civil ser- vants, mostly from the aims of the support prog- des Représentants will be What have you ramme? tasked with all procu- three parliaments involved done so far? in this project. The fact N.M.: Apart from the re- rement and logistics issues. N.M.: So far we that they are not private furbishment of the Assem- The Team also includes have held con- bly premises, the progra- two local administrative consultants as is often the sultations with assistants, two transla- case with programmes run local and inter- mme offers technical as- tors/interpreters, and one by the European Union national intere- sistance to the Secretariat local legal expert whose will certainly bring a dif- Departments. In the De- Prof. Nicolas Maziau sts, most impor- primary task will be to ferent approach to rela- tantly of course partment of Administra- check Kosovo legislation tions with Assembly good memories and sym- within the Assembly itself. tion assistance will be for compliance with Euro- members and staff. The pathy for Kosovo and its We have encountered a provided on personnel, pean standards. In addi- experts are people that Assembly. great willingness to work budget and procurement tion, we will also be wor- are embedded in their with us and are very and in the Department of Does the consortium of par- king with international respective institutions at pleased with the support Legal Affairs efforts will be liaments you represent have and local short-term ex- home, which will allow we have received so far. concentrated on the Table any other experience of this perts. the Assembly to learn from We are also thankful to Office and the Committees sort of work in Southeast first-hand experience but the Advisory Board that Support Section. This will Who are the local experts, Europe or other places? also help establish relations has been created to give also involve an overhaul who the international ex- that will hopefully remain N.M. As a matter of fact, guidance to our work. of existing rules and perts you will be consul- close even after the current we do. In 1996 the French further elaboration of the ting? project is completed. I Assemblée Nationale was Who is represented on the Assembly’s internal regu- N.M.: We are in the process sincerely wish and expect involved in a similar EU Advisory Board? latory framework with the of identifying local experts that the short-term experts assistance programme for N.M.: Members include aim of enhancing efficiency from the academic com- will return to their res- the first time. It related representatives from EAR, and improving the pro- munity and other sectors pective institutions with to the Russian Duma and the European Office and cessing of legislation but 4 ASI newsletter also to enhance the As- have no agenda of our where we will stand ready campaign and therefore our project is that it sembly’s financial and ad- own. Our task is to help to assist. Also, we hope not otherwise available in extends beyond next year’s ministrative autonomy. improve the functioning of to see the Assembly make the period prior to the elections. the Assembly. Of course, Alfred Drescher: I would more use of its right to elections. On the other any decision that is taken Other organisations co-or- like to emphasise how initiate its own legislation hand the elections period upon our advice might dinated through ASI have vitally important it is for as has been the case with will offer the opportunity become a political issue been lending support to a functioning democratic the Gender Equality draft to work more closely with even though this would be the Assembly since its in- system that the legislature law. the Secretariat staff. In unintended. There is one ception. How will you en- is independent of the exe- addition, the elections will issue, however, which is Co-operation with the sure that your activities cutive. This also goes for focus minds and efforts close to our heart, and Government is one issue. will be complementary to the training of Assembly How do you assess the will be made to make will almost certainly in- ASI’s efforts? Secretariat staff. Any self- volve some tough political Assembly’s relations with sure that the newly elected respecting Assembly will choices. That is to make UNMIK? Assembly will be able to N.M.: ASI has done a want to train its staff ac- count on an Assembly lot over the past years sure legislation is comp- N.M.: There is clearly room cording to its own rules. and we have benefited tre- liant with the acquis com- for improvement. How- secretariat that has sig- Will changes to the inter- munautaire, the body of ever, this is mostly a nificantly enhanced its ser- mendously from the ex- nal rules of the Assembly rules developed by the political problem outside vices.
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