Kosovo institutions challenged by proposed cuts, OSCE Mission report says

PRISTINA, 6 December 2007 - Some of Kosovo's independent agencies and institutions, including the Ombudsperson Institution, the Kosovo Judicial Institute and the Independent Oversight Board, are facing proposed budget and staff cuts that could undermine their sustainability and weaken Kosovo's young democracy, warned an OSCE Mission report issued today.

"Independent bodies are central to the functioning of a modern society, and therefore authorities should give them priority in their budget plans," said Ambassador Tim Guldimann, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. "The adequate protection of independent bodies is in the best interest of the people of Kosovo and it would also present a clear sign of the Kosovo Provisional Institutions of Government's (PISG) commitment to democratic and European standards."

The report is based on an extensive survey carried out by the Mission. It found that the PISG Ministry of Finance and Economy proposal cuts, for example, the budget requested by the Kosovo Judicial Institute by 41 percent, while the Ombudsperson Institution has been allotted too few staff members.

The report argues that independent agencies must be free from arbitrary reductions in salaries and staffing levels in order to operate effectively and with complete autonomy. They must also have sufficient capacity to remunerate their professional staff at competitive rates in order to attract and retain talent. The report provides several recommendations for actions to preserve operational, financial, staffing and decision-making independence of the institutions.

The OSCE Mission is committed to supporting independent local institutions to work in line with European standards as part of its institution building and strengthening efforts in Kosovo.

Copies of the report are available on the OSCE website at: www.osce.org/kosovo