GAP Institute presented the findings of the report "Open Budget Survey 2023 for Kosovo"

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Today, GAP Institute organized a roundtable discussion where it presented the findings of the  report "Open Budget Survey 2023 for Kosovo.”

Nora Latifi Jashari from GAP Institute stated that this survey was conducted for the first time in Kosovo as a pilot assessment in collaboration with the International Budget Partnership. Open Budget Survey (OBS) serves as a tool to evaluate governance and government accountability, focusing on three key areas: transparency, public participation, and budget oversight.

Alexander Albertine, Director of the Economic Development Office at USAID Kosovo, praised the discussion as an opportunity to improve transparency and encouraged stakeholders to use the survey results as a foundation for progress. He also called for collective efforts to integrate transparency, accountability, and public participation into governmental processes.

Rrona Zhuri from GAP Institute presented the findings of the Open Budget Survey 2023 for Kosovo, which revealed that Kosovo scored 50 out of 100 points in budget transparency, evaluating the availability and inclusiveness of budget documents. In terms of public and civil society engagement during various stages of the budget process, Kosovo performed poorly, scoring only 9 out of 100 points. For budget oversight by institutions, Kosovo achieved an overall score of 59 out of 100, with audit oversight scoring 72 points and legislative oversight 53 points. GAP Institute recommends making budget documents, such as the Draft Budget Law, more comprehensive and detailed. Furthermore, public institutions should establish additional mechanisms to engage citizens and civil society organizations in different phases of the budgeting process.

Salvador Elmazi, Director of the Budget Department at the Ministry of Finance, Labor, and Transfers, highlighted key issues related to Kosovos budgeting process, challenges, and the need for institutional improvement. He emphasized that greater citizen involvement in the initial budget drafting stages, as well as in the parliamentary review process, would enhance transparency. He added that efforts will be made to develop a better action plan reflecting recommendations and international best practices.

Faruk Rrahmani, Director of the Audit and Annual Audit Report Department at the National Audit Office, emphasized that taxpayers are the primary contributors to the state budget and have the right to demand transparency and accountability in public fund management. He called for strengthened internal controls within budget organizations and increased implementation of audit recommendations, highlighting their importance for transparency and efficient use of public funds.

Arben Loshi, Acting Secretary at the Assembly of Kosovo, noted that in recent years, the Assembly has adopted a new regulation introducing a dedicated procedure for reviewing and approving the Budget Law. He highlighted that the draft budget is expected to be reviewed by relevant parliamentary committees for specific sectors. However, he raised concerns that, in many cases, the draft budget is approved through expedited procedures, leaving limited time for discussion.

For more, you can find the full report by clicking here.