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“Parliamentarians Are Not from Mars but from Kosovo”

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“Parliamentarians Are Not from Mars but from Kosovo” ASInewsletter June 2005, No 17 ““ParliamentariansParliamentarians aarere nnotot ffromrom MMarsars bbutut ffromrom KKosovo”osovo” DDebateebate wwithith tthehe HHeadseads ooff tthehe PParliamentaryarliamentary GGroupsroups osce Mission in Kosovo 2 ASInewsletter Welcome Ambassador Werner Wnendt UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Ambassador Werner Wnendt as the new Deputy SRSG in charge of UNMIK’s institution-building pillar, Pillar III, led by the OSCE. Ambassador Wnendt, born in 1952, is a career diplomat who joined the German Foreign Service in 1980. Before assuming the position of Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo on 28 April 2005, Ambassador Wnendt was the Senior Deputy High Representa- tive in the Offi ce of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a post he took up in 2003. The Assembly of Kosovo and the Stability Pact for South-East Europe Doina Ghimici, OSCE Mission in Kosovo The last meeting of the Parliamentary Cooperation Task Force took place on 15 April 2005 in Brussels. The Assembly of Kosovo was for the fi rst time represented in such an event. Upon the invitation of Goran Svilanovic, Table I Chairperson, Assembly Member Enver Hoxhaj a ended and in an objective and professional manner Parliamentary cooperation was reconfi rmed as a core objective at briefed the meeting on current developments in Kosovo, the priori- the Stability Pact Regional Round Table held in Portoroz, Slove- ties, eff orts and main achievements of the Assembly of Kosovo, and nia, in June 2004. Under the Stability Pact initiative, members of also mentioned the principal challenges that Kosovo’s legislature is legislative bodies throughout South-East Europe are encouraged facing along with the entire society. He pointed at the urgent need to enhance their cooperation in dealing with common challenges for a mentality change, fi st and foremost for Assembly members. such as increasing the eff ectiveness of parliamentary work and Enver Hoxhaj also stressed how important was for the Assembly strengthening the role of parliaments in policy-making and over- of Kosovo, as a young parliamentary institution, to intensify con- sight. Also, exchanges between the parliaments of the region and tacts with and learn from the experience of the other legislatures the EU parliaments in Euro-Atlantic integration processes are pro- in the region. Kosovo AM’s presence in the Stability Pact meeting moted in the Stability Pact framework. Bringing benefi ciaries and was broadly welcome and his contribution very appreciated. It is donors together, the Stability Pact plays an instrumental role in set- expected that the inclusion of the Assembly of Kosovo into the Sta- ting priorities, avoiding duplication and maximizing the effi ciency bility Pact network of cooperation will become permanent. of various donor programs, including through eff ective coordina- tion of international donors. On the same occasion, the OSCE Mission presented its initiative to The Stability Pact Parliamentary Cooperation Task Force is meeting organize, in cooperation with the Assembly, a parliamentary round- twice a year, approximately one month before the meeting of the table that would off er MPs from South-East Europe the opportu- Stability Pact Working Table I within which it functions, in order to nity to visit Pristina and familiarize themselves with the Kosovo review the needs expressed by South-East European parliamentar- reality, while off ering Kosovo Assembly members the possibility to ians and the Task Force’s work programme that always takes into share experiences and best practices with their more experienced consideration the initiatives already undertaken by other institu- colleagues from the region on issues of common concern. Both the tions and governments, in order to identify programming gaps Chairman of the Working Table I and the Task Force Coordinator and a empt fi lling them. In addition to donors and implementing welcomed the initiative and agreed to include the upcoming event agencies, parliamentarians from the region are invited at the Task in the Stability Pact framework. The envisaged date for the round- Force’s meetings in order to strengthen the Stability Pact’s regional table is 10th of June, which coincides with the sixth anniversary of ownership. the Stability Pact. ASInewsletter 3 “We need more dynamism in the Assembly” In the current edition of ASI Newsletter, we focus on the role and the opinions of the Parliamentary Groups in the Assembly of Kosovo. We interviewed Ms. Gjylanze Syla, Head of the AAK Parliamentary Group. Interview: Edita Bucaj, OSCE consultations with municipal authorities during the process What is the main objective and of draV ing laws. In doing so, approach of the AAK parlia- we could have avoided many mentary group in the current diffi culties in implementing mandate of the Assembly? the laws by the municipalities. Being partners in the Secondly, there is lack of regular Government coalition, we aim contact with our constituency. at fulfi lling our aspirations The parliamentary group of and protecting Kosovo AAK will conduct fi eld visits citizens’ interests through the to see how the Government Government Programme. We programme is being shall provide full support to implemented. This will enable the Government’s priorities us to discover the problems and its defi ned strategy, in implementing the laws, to implementation of its agenda, try to respond and give our as well as to the promotion of feedback. governmental policies. We implement an overall What is your stance on a pos- inclusive, rather than exclusive, sible meeting of Kosovo’s policy. We want to cultivate President and Prime Minister a political culture and do with Serbia’s leaders? everything possible to avoid tional competent staff . Assem- This is crucial at a time when Kosovo wants peaceful relations an aggravated relationship bly Members need to become many important decisions on with neighbours, including with the opposition. We experts in a certain fi eld and the future of Kosovo have to Serbia. Meetings between encourage constructive co- effi ciently use the mechanisms be made. We think that for the operation and tolerance. We to monitor the work of the development of a sustainable senior leaders of Kosovo and are advocating participation in Government. democracy in Kosovo we Serbia can be developed at the level of good neighbourly Kosovo’s processes and in the However, in Kosovo as well need more sessions per month and constructive co-operation. institutional life in general. as in other countries, we are than is currently the case. A All of the issues of common faced with limited resources. preliminary planning of the What has been achieved in interest for both parties can be Therefore, co-operation with plenary schedule, at least six the work of the Assembly and discussed, such as the issues civil society should increase per month, would also increase what can be improved? in order to benefi t from the the effi ciency of the Assembly’s of the kidnapped and missing The capacity of the Assembly information they possess as work. persons, stolen pensions, war to provide the necessary space well as their recommendations. damages, cadastral records and working conditions for How do you assess the level of and documentation, etc. or the Members has increased. Is there suffi cient debate in the implementation of legislation? implications deriving from The Assembly administration Assembly? Reasons for non- or partial the independence of Kosovo, but not for the fi nal status of is be er trained and the work The Assembly is the place to implementation of laws are of the Assembly Commi ees have debates, agreements and manifold. Bearing in mind the Kosovo. has been empowered. The urgent need for many laws, the disagreements, compromises What is your stand on the fi le commi ees are more active Government was under time or consensus. As I said, the submi ed by PDK about part and they oV en hold public pressure to draV them and the Assembly’s work should of the government? hearings, which increases the be intensifi ed, which will Assembly to approve them. transparency. mean more meetings, more A shortfall was when the cost My conviction is that this is an The work in the Assembly opportunities for debates, estimate for any draV law was issue for the courts. Decisions could be more dynamic, ple- and as the result we will not foreseen. Consequently, must be taken by courts. nary sessions more fre-quent have frequent and closer we lacked monitoring of the We must all be responsible and the role of the commi ees co-operation between the effi ciency of the law. One for our actions and for the strengthened through addi- Members of Parliament (MP). reason for that is the lack of consequences of these actions. 4 ASInewsletter “Parliamentarians are not from Mars but from Kosovo” It doesn’t happen so often that the Heads of Parliamentary Groups are sitting together to talk – on the record – on the work of the Assembly and current political developments. On 9 May 2005 Prof. Alush Gashi (LDK), Mr. Jakup Krasniqi (PDK), Mrs. Teuta Sahatqija (ORA) and Mr. Mahir Yagcilar (6+) met for a debate, organized by the OSCE and the Kosovo Daily Newspaper Express. Following is the transcript of the lively discussion. Interview: Edita Bucaj and Arlinda Desku. How satisfi ed you are with the competencies, this would not Alush Gashi: I think that there is Assembly of Kosovo. I’ve told way the Assembly of Kosovo hinder the Assembly to deal debate with enviable culture in my caucus, since I lead a group functions and is there anything with these issues. I don’t know the Assembly about the issues of 30 deputies, not to throw that doesn’t work? if the Assembly manages to do that are in the agenda.
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