OSCE Mission helps Kosovo's Assembly prepare for the future

The institutions, however, have come a long way, and the Assembly of Kosovo - created in 2001 following the first general elections - is no exception. At first, it was seen more as a symbol of Kosovo Albanian political unity than an institution of political debate, but it has since undergone much change, thanks to support from the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

"As the Assembly entered its second mandate in 2004," says Franklin De Vrieze, who heads the OSCE Mission's Central Governance Unit, "distinct position and opposition blocks were formed, debate began to flourish and the parliament's work became much more dynamic.

"Political discussions have moved from party offices to the Assembly, where they are conducted openly and under public scrutiny," he adds.

Co-ordinating support

As the institution-building pillar of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the OSCE has been involved in the work of the Assembly from the start.

"Our main task was to help it develop into a democratic institution for inclusive decision-making, with all ethnic communities and political parties participating," says De Vrieze.

The Assembly Support Initiative (ASI) - a consortium of ten international organizations co-ordinated by the OSCE - initially focused on developing parliamentary structures and the professional capacities of the Assembly members and staff.

"We helped them develop parliamentary committees on legislative and budgetary issues, and on parliamentary party groups," says David Payne from the National Democratic Institute, which is supported by the US Agency for International Development. The first four years of support also included developing the Assembly Rules of Procedures and other regulations.

Pushing forward with reforms

"We also aim to strengthen the Assembly's oversight over the Government's work," says De Vrieze. With its second mandate, the Assembly has already been progressing quickly in this area.

Throughout 2005 and 2006, Assembly members debated and voted on three Prime Ministers and their cabinets. It also voted in a new Assembly President in March 2006, when Kolë Berisha replaced Nexhat Daci. These changes opened a window of opportunity for improving the Assembly's overall effectiveness.

In December 2005, the OSCE drafted the Assembly Action Plan, which took into consideration calls by many Assembly members to make the parliament's work more structured.

Assembly President Kolë Berisha made full use of the Action Plan, adopting a set of reforms in the Assembly Standards Plan. Its main provisions include:

• a fixed calendar of meetings for 2006, allowing for two or three plenary sessions per month; 
• regular meetings between the Assembly President, parliamentary group leaders and committee chairpersons; and 
• more time devoted to presenting questions to the Government.

While the first two provisions have increased the level of Assembly activity, the third aims at more effective government oversight.

"Since the introduction of the reform package on 1 June 2006, Assembly members have posed more than twenty written questions to the Government," says Rebecca Kilhefner, the OSCE Officer in charge of monitoring the Assembly.

"The Prime Minister has answered almost all of them, including the two posed by the opposition almost two years ago and were still awaiting answers," she adds.

"The OSCE Mission particularly encourages parliamentary oversight over the financial and security sector and carries out activities such as study visits to parliamentary oversight committees in the region," says Kilhefner.

The parliamentary process

One of the key aims of the Assembly Standards Plan is to bring all stakeholders closer. According to Payne, the reforms are raising the Government's public visibility and accountability. In addition, Assembly members are increasingly exercising their oversight function, committees are further scrutinizing draft laws and the media is gaining greater insight into political life.

"Although there is still work to be done, Kosovo's parliament is quickly overcoming challenges thanks to the help it has received from the OSCE Mission and the Assembly Support Initiative," says De Vrieze, "resulting in a more transparent, dynamic and effective parliamentary process."