Political and Legislative Processes

Since 1999, USAID has worked with Kosovo’s Parliament and key democratic political parties in Kosovo to enable these organizations and institutions to function in an open, effective and transparent manner. As a result, the Assembly committees now have annual work plans, they engage in public hearings and conduct studies on the implementation of legislation.

The Committee on Rules of Procedure (RoPs) is continuously recommending needed changes to the rules, initiating first steps to also increase greater transparency and public information. Reviews and suggested amendments to a number of pieces of legislation including the new constitution have taken place. In addition, political parties have restructured themselves thus becoming more responsive to their grassroots and communicate more effectively and more often.

Youth activists are increasingly being asked to take positions within parties, manage campaigns, and even to compete in elections. Campaign trainings have equipped candidates and organizers with techniques to compete in democratic elections, and to focus on the issues which matter to voters.

Current Activities

1. Political Processes and Party Support Program
2. Kosovo Assembly Strengthening Program


Political Processes and Party Support Program

This three-year activity is designed to work with political parties to improve their capacity to govern and to effectively represent their constituencies; foster political leadership among Kosovo Serb and other ethnic minorities; and enhance the legitimacy of the electoral process through domestic and regional election observation missions. The activity will target areas, such as;

• strengthen parties engagement with each other and to develop coherent platforms that translate into legislative agenda
• strengthen engagement of Kosovo Serbs in the political process, including local and national elections, as well as address the needs of weak Kosovo Serb and other minority community political groups

Elections will be conducted and organized, for the first time, by an inexperienced local body, the Central Election Commission (CEC).


Kosovo Assembly Strengthening Program

USAID aims to assist the Kosovo Assembly during the critical years following Kosovo’s declaration of independence and gradual transition from international auspices toward primary reliance on domestic capacity.

In this environment, the Assembly must res¬pond to a growing set of diverse and substantive issues and challenges. At the same time, it must begin to rely more heavily on domestic expertise as its relationship with the international community continues to evolve.

Key challenges during the next three-year period for USAID supported activity will be to;

• improve access to external expertise and Civil Society Organizations engagement
• strengthen management and operational capacities of the Assembly’s Secretariat’s
• systematizing Internal Operations of the Assembly.