Dr Markus Schultze-Kraft conducted an assessment of the Kosovo Rule of Law and Democracy (RLD) programme of the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC). The RLD programme seeks to strengthen central and local institutions, improving their accountability and the capacity to deliver efficient services to all citizens.
RLD interventions in local governance and decentralisation have concentrated on enhancing the ability of nine municipalities in the south-east of Kosovo, including several newly created Serb-majority ones, to deliver key services. The programme also includes state-building activities, such as dealing with the key issue of property rights and establishing a notary system, and further seeks to improve democratic citizen education and participation.
Dr Schultze-Kraft worked with local researchers to:
- Conduct a political economy assessment of decentralization and local governance in Kosovo, considering both Albanian and Serb-majority municipalities and different stakeholders at the local, regional and central levels of government.
- Assess the current SDC interventions in local governance and decentralisation, including the support given to the Association of Kosovo Municipalities
- Draw up three future scenarios
- Elaborate policy recommendations on a programmatic SDC approach to decentralization and local governance
- Recommend a conflict-sensitive engagement in the North of Kosovo