The Kosovo Mosaic brings together and addresses the issues facing municipalities

Today, at an inter-institutional meeting of local and central level representatives and international and local organisations, the findings of the three-yearly periodic report Kosovo Mosaic were presented. This document is prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Kosovo Mosaic 2015 continues the series of UNDP reports dating back to 2003.

This report presents the views of 6,700 citizens on the quality of public services and the performance of local authorities in delivering services. Building on the four previous reports published in 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012, this report is a further contribution to the important and ongoing debate on the role and functioning of local government in Kosovo.

This year’s edition presents the perceptions and opinions of respondents from all 38 municipalities on the performance of services, ranging from basic ones such as drinking water, sanitation and administrative services to citizens’ satisfaction with local institutions.

Some quick facts emerging from the Kosovo Mosaic:

What does this report show?

The report measures levels of satisfaction with the performance of mayors, municipal assemblies and municipal administrations. It compares the 2015 results with those of previous surveys in order to provide an analysis of trends in Kosovars’ overall satisfaction with public services and local government institutions.

Data from Kosovo Mosaic 2015 show that throughout Kosovo the lack of economic development and its consequences dominate the list of high-priority problems perceived by respondents. Almost three quarters of Kosovars believe that unemployment, the lack of economic growth and poverty/low living standards are the biggest problems facing their municipalities.

The average level of satisfaction with all public services fell slightly from 2012 to 2015. Most Kosovars are satisfied with telephone and postal services, electricity supply and the management of primary and secondary schools.

On the other hand, the functioning and management of local government, public procurement and tenders, the recruitment of municipal staff and the management of municipal funds receive the lowest level of satisfaction from Kosovars. Compared with 2012, satisfaction has fallen most for the recruitment of civil servants, public transport and rural and urban planning, while the largest increases in satisfaction have been seen for energy supply

Medical services:

In general, Kosovars have relatively good access to health and pharmacy services in terms of geographical proximity, although access to hospitals is more problematic.

– More than 30% of respondents reported that they can reach the nearest doctor or pharmacy in less than 10 minutes on foot or by public transport from their home, while only 13.2% said the same of hospitals.

¾ of Kosovars said they were satisfied with emergency services; fewer than that said they were satisfied with health services at family medicine centres, and fewer still with health services in hospitals.

Education services:

Slightly fewer than half of respondents stated that their primary school is less than 10 minutes’ walk or public transport ride from their homes. Pre-school institutions/kindergartens and especially secondary schools are less accessible in terms of geographical proximity.

Although satisfaction with the management of primary and secondary schools fell between 2012 and 2015, Kosovars are generally satisfied with educational institutions; satisfaction with access to and the quality of education in secondary schools is slightly lower than for kindergartens/pre-school institutions and primary schools.

Culture and Sport:

The level of satisfaction with cultural and sports activities rose from 2012 to 2015, while that relating to the protection of cultural heritage fell considerably.
– More than half of Kosovars are satisfied or very satisfied with sports activities in their municipalities, while fewer than half are satisfied with youth and cultural activities.
– Only 45% of Kosovars stated that they are satisfied with the protection of cultural heritage in their municipalities.

Road maintenance:

Despite the fall in satisfaction since 2012, more than half of Kosovars (56.3%) stated that they are satisfied with road maintenance in their municipalities, calculated as the average of satisfaction levels for the cleanliness of municipal roads, their condition and horizontal and vertical signage.
– A slightly higher percentage of citizens are satisfied with the condition of roads in their municipality (58.1%) compared with those who are satisfied with the level of road cleanliness and the horizontal and vertical road signage in their municipalities.

Public lighting

More than half of the municipalities in Kosovo remain satisfied or very satisfied with public lighting in their municipality.
– A slightly higher percentage of women (54.7%) than men (52.7%) are satisfied or very satisfied with public lighting on the streets and in public spaces in their municipality; however, fewer women (65.2%) than men (67.4%) feel safe or somewhat safe at night with the public lighting in their municipality.

Parks and public squares
– 62% are satisfied or very satisfied with the parks and public squares in their municipality;
– 63.4% are satisfied with the existence of parks and squares in their municipality, and 60.5% with their usability.

Public Transport
– Has fallen drastically from 2012 to 2015.
– 55.9% reported that they are satisfied or very satisfied with public transport in their municipality, derived as the average of satisfaction with the use of public transport, public transport services and the time needed to reach a destination using public transport.

Electricity
– 72–74% are satisfied or very satisfied with electricity supply and telephone and postal services.
– 34.9% are satisfied or very satisfied with the work of the Centres for Social Work in their municipality, and the average level of satisfaction with this service has fallen markedly compared with 2012.

Public administration services
– more than 80% of them see the institutions issuing birth/marriage/death certificates, driving licences, identity cards and passports as efficient.
– The institutions issuing business licences and building permits are seen as efficient by 67.6% and 63.6% of Kosovars respectively.

Local governments
– 86% believe that all or some of the problems facing their municipalities can be solved by local government.
– Kosovo’s citizens are least satisfied with the operations and management of their municipalities.
– Only 24% of Kosovars are satisfied or very satisfied with public procurement and staff recruitment in their municipality, while 31.9% are satisfied with the management of municipal funds.
– A higher percentage of Kosovars (62.4%) are satisfied with the Municipal Administration than with their Municipal Assembly (49.2%) or Mayor (54.1%).