Building municipal capacity is a key aspect of the path to European integration

During its first module, the Forum for Development and Strategic Policies (PDS) is addressing a considerable number of topics focusing on the modernisation of public management, good governance, leadership versus management, and reforms in the state administration.

In the first session, the Executive Director of the Kosovo Local Government Institute gave a presentation on the principles of good governance, comparative practices and models of a higher-performing administration. Speaking on this topic, Mr Tahiri stressed that good governance aims to make public service more efficient and of higher quality in the general interest, and to strengthen legitimacy. It aims to make societies easier to govern and more balanced, so that they can make use of their own resources and be able to renew them.

He also stressed that good and efficient governance should not be built in an ad hoc way, but cohesively. For this, planning, monitoring and evaluation are very important. Conversely, if an integrated, structured and implementable plan is not applied, local governments are planning to fail. Strengthening the capacities of the municipal civil service is therefore a key aspect of ensuring sustainable development in local governance in Kosovo.

In a presentation on improving local governance, efficiency and the reorganisation of local administration, Prof. Bernard Zeneli, lecturer in policy and political analysis at the University of Tirana, addressed topics related to the reforms required by the European Union. It was said that policy evaluation is essential, identifying the legal, administrative and financial means for full integration. Developing administrative capacity is therefore very important and crucial for a secure path for countries aspiring to membership.