Event Summary:
On April 12, Group for Legal and Political Studies hosted a policy roundtable about the role of decentralization vis-à-vis the empowering of ethnic communities’ participation in public life and the effects that decentralization has had in relation to increasing the participation of ethnic communities in local decision-making, in particular, in multi-ethnic municipalities.

Except being focused on the way how decentralization can be beneficent, the panelists particularly discussed the extent to which citizens in municipalities are using this opportunity to extend their impact in local policymaking processes, and how this process has increased citizens’ belief toward local and central level institutions in Kosovo. In this respect, panelists focused on the following issues: a) has decentralization been a successful tool to increase the participation of ethnic communities at the local decision-making process, b) how much has the current decentralization framework helped ethnic communities to maintain, promote and develop their identity and cultural-related values, c) are there stories of success to be utilized in explaining to other skeptics the real benefits of decentralization, and d) should newly established municipalities have a role in pushing forward decentralization in the northern Kosovo.

Key Speakers:

Mr. Nenad Rasić, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, and member of SLS;

Mr. Christopher Rowan, Deputy ICR, ICO;

H.E. Jan Braathu, Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kosovo;

Mr. Nebojsha Perić, Advisor to the Mayor of Gracanica;

Ms. Adrijana Hodzić, Senior Officer, Municipal Preparatory Team, ICO; and,

Mr. Nenad Maksimović, President of Strategic Kosovo Action Network (KSAM).

Chair:

Mr. Dren DOLI, Group for Legal and Political Studies

Date: Thursday, April 12, 2012

Venue: Hotel Sirus (‘Rigel’ Conference Room) 3rd Floor,

Str ‘ Agim Ramadani’, Prishtine, Kosovo