Division of responsibilities between central and local government needed, says OSCE Mission in Kosovo report

PRISTINA, 21 February 2008 - Clear allocation of competences between the central and local government is vital to ensure co-operation and avoid bureaucratic uncertainty, says a report issued today by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

"This OSCE report assesses the framework regulating the relationship between the central and the local level authorities with a view to addressing incompatibilities and to support bridging gaps," said Ambassador Tim Guldimann, the OSCE Head of Mission in Kosovo.

The assessment, which analyzes the relationship between the layers of government in Kosovo, with a focus on legal, administrative and fiscal aspects, is divided into two parts. The first section presents administrative and judicial aspects focussing on the different types of municipal competences and forms of oversight by the executive branch at the central level as well as the judiciary.

The second part recommends a comprehensive overview of the process of fiscal decentralization and calls for local finance reform based on efficiency and political stability.

The report reveals a highly complex situation, mainly as a result of the unique situation in Kosovo, combined with the ongoing process of decentralization planning. It also shows a lack of clarity in the provisions regulating supervision and oversight by the central level.

The report authors conclude by welcoming the ongoing process of strengthening local self-governance, at the same time calling for a high degree of detail and precision in the future legal framework. They urge the legislature to ensure that a proper institutional and financial infrastructure is established in order to implement the competences allocated to the respective levels of government.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated to support and promote the principles of good governance in Kosovo.

The reports is available online: www.osce.org/kosovo/documents.html