01.10.2009 aba_workshop_small.jpg <![CDATA[Workshop with Kosovo Albanian and Serbian Law Students]]> Workshop with Kosovo Albanian and Serbian Law Students

Twenty three law students from University of Prishtina Faculties of Law in both Pristina and in Mitrovica participated in the ABA’s Rule of Law Initiative Practical Skills Workshop. The two days workshop, organized on September 11 and 12, took place in Prevalle.

This Practical Skills Workshop was the first of a series of 4 workshops with same group of students participating on the 3 upcoming ones.

USAID Kosovo | Practical Skills Workshop During the workshop students and coaches worked on the case NITA v. Lawrence, a hypothetical criminal case developed by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA)
The Practical Skills Workshop was facilitated by Laura Pula, District Court Prosecutor in Pristina, Nebojša Vlajić, Attorney in Mitrovica and Ahmet Hasolli, Attorney in Pristina. Opening remarks were made by Gina Schaar, ABA ROLI Country Director in Kosovo, and the participants got insight into legal education experiences from Irene Biglino, PhD Intern in ABA ROLI office in Kosovo. They also discussed career paths, the role of legal professionals and professional qualities with Ms. Pula, Mr. Vlajic and Mr. Hasolli. As per comments given by Vuk Mitrovic, workshop coordinator for students of the Faculty of Law in Mitrovica, this is the first workshop between Kosovo Albanian law students and Kosovo Serbian law students.

During the workshop students and coaches worked on the case NITA v. Lawrence, a hypothetical criminal case developed by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), where students have the chance to improve their trial advocacy skills by identifying legal issues and factual arguments, and conducting cross examination and direct examination of witnesses. Students were divided in two groups mixed among students from Prishtina and Mitrovica Law Faculties to work on the case. The students in both groups showed strong commitment and high professionalism in their interactions with each other and the coaches.

Students highly appreciated this workshop and found it useful indeed for their future career. During the upcoming workshops students will have the chance to apply this analysis by practicing role play as judge, prosecutor, defense and witnesses. The seminar series will conclude with a mock trial.

The workshop is financed by the USAID’s Legal Professional Development Initiative implemented by the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative.

Photo caption Workshop 1&2: The Practical Skills Workshop the first of a series of workshops organized for Pristina and Mitrovica Law students ]]> 01.10.2009 peja_fair_small.jpg <![CDATA[Peja/Pec Tourism Street Fair]]> Promoting Kosovo Dairy Products Starts at an Early Age

The first ever street fair in Kosovo organized in Pejë/Peć on September 26, 2009 by TPD Consulting with the support of the USAID Kosovo Private Enterprise Program under the “Stay the Weekend – Experience Kosovo” motto, is another success of KPEP efforts in the development of the tourism sector in Kosovo. The opening ceremony was attended by the US Ambassador in Kosovo, the USAID Kosovo Mission Director, the Minister of Trade and Industry and the Mayor of Pejë/Peć.

About 40 exhibitors representing handcraft, restaurants and tour operators of this region confirmed participation but on September 26, more than 60 providers of tourism offers and products showed up, and started to sell their products hours before the official opening of the street fair at 12:00. The street fair was attended by more than 1,000 visitors, and generated satisfactory sales for the exhibitors, exceeding €7,000 of products and services, and indirectly generating €18,000 of related sales, including hotel stays and food purchases.

USAID Kosovo | Stay the Weekend – Experience Kosovo The street fair was divided in three sectors: food and beverages, handicrafts and traditional clothing, and tour operators and sport activities
The street fair was divided in three sectors: food and beverages, handicrafts and traditional clothing, and tour operators and sport activities. About 15 restaurants prepared a variety of local dishes, while about 25 handicraft booths exhibited hand-made traditional clothing and decorative items. The tour operators sector was very busy with inquiries from international visitors interested in booking tours.

Syzana Baja, Tourism Advisor to USAID Kosovo Private Enterprise Program for the Street Event and Director of Rugova Experience, said that the event showcased a variety of experiences and activities. “Visitors and Pejë/Peć citizens had a great time,” she said. “The KPEP tourism team and TPD Consulting, the event organizer,” Baja continued, “worked closely with the Municipality to ensure that restaurants, handicrafts, tour organizers, music and art groups were all represented at the Fair. For many of them, this was the first time they participated in an outdoor fair. It was quite a new experience, but one that I think all enjoyed and appreciated.”

The Pejë/Peć Street Fair follows the successful Stay the Weekend – Experience Kosovo event, which was organized on April 22, 2009 co-sponsored by KPEP with the Kosovo Tourism Association in Pristina. ]]> 01.10.2009 CEC_signing_agrement_IFES_small.jpg <![CDATA[CEC Signs Mutual Cooperation Agreement with IFES]]> Kosovo CEC Signs Mutual Cooperation Agreement with IFES Kosovo

The Republic of Kosovo Central Elections Commission (CEC) entered into a new mutual cooperation agreement with IFES Kosovo. The agreement was signed by the CEC Chair, Honorable Nesrin Lushta, USAID Kosovo Mission Director, Patricia Rader, and IFES Chief of Party, Chedomir Flego, October 1, 2009, during a press conference held in Pristina. Under the agreement, IFES will provide technical support to the CEC through a broad spectrum of initiatives in the areas of voter education and awareness, count and results center, media outreach, in addition to helping the CEC conduct efficient and transparent elections.

USAID Kosovo | CEC Signs Mutual Cooperation Agreement Honorable Nesrin Lushta, USAID Kosovo Mission Director, Patricia Rader, and IFES Chief of Party, Chedomir Flego, October 1, 2009, during a press conference held in Pristina
During the press conference, the CEC Chair mentioned the cooperative agreement formalizes the support being provided by IFES which helps the CEC staff prepare for training of observers and journalists, improve its media outreach campaigns, develop the count and results center, introduce the transmission and recording of provisional election results (SMS preliminary results) and operate a media center. The USAID Director indicated the agreement is another example of cooperation in the long standing relationship between the US Government and the Republic of Kosovo.

The upcoming elections on November 15 will be the first time the CEC conducts local government elections in Kosovo. Previous elections were conducted by the UN and OSCE prior to Kosovo independence on February 17, 2008. IFES has been providing technical assistance in Kosovo since 1998.

IFES is an independent, non-governmental organization providing professional support to electoral democracy. Through field work, applied research and advocacy, IFES promotes citizen participation, transparency, and accountability in political life and civil society. Since its founding in 1987, IFES has worked in more than 100 countries. ]]> 01.08.2009 children_news_01.jpg <![CDATA[Promoting Kosovo Dairy Products Starts at an Early Age]]> Promoting Kosovo Dairy Products Starts at an Early Age

An educational visit to Eurolona dairy farm and milk processor by five-and six-year-old children from Fatosat kindergarten in Pristina was a successful promotion of domestically produced dairy products.

The April visit, organized by USAID's Kosovo Private Enterprise Program, provided an opportunity for the children to see how the milk they consume is produced and encourage them to consume more dairy products for a healthy diet. Eurolona, in addition to milking their own cows, runs their own dairy processing plant. It is hoped such visits will help overcome the negative image of locally produced dairy products, as many people in Kosovo today purchase imported milk and dairy products.

The kindergarten's visit to Eurolona was also an opportunity to promote better understanding of, and increase loyalty to, domestically produced dairy products. With USAID's assistance, Eurolona is producing a new variety of yogurt drink and yogurt, now available in Kosovo markets, as well as their first white cheese.

The Kosovo Private Enterprise Program is helping to modernize Kosovo's dairy industry, increasing sales and employment. The four-year initiative aims to stimulate the competitiveness of Kosovo's private sector. The program, implemented by Booz Allen Hamilton, provides technical assistance to targeted sectors through grants and consulting, supports business enabling reform efforts, expands workforce development and training, and strengthens business services and associations. ]]> 01.08.2009 schools_news_01.jpg <![CDATA[Students Modernize Their School Bathrooms]]> Students Modernize Their School Bathrooms

Converting almost unusable school toilets into brand new ones at Eqrem Qabej Technical School, Vushtrri/Vucitrn, didn't require a huge investment -- the students did the work themselves, using $3,000 in materials from USAID.

The students were proud to be part of the effort and enthusiastically undertook the renovations. The initiative provided students with the sense of ownership, and upon completion of the repairs; the students indicated that they were ready to take on other projects to improve their school.

The project is part of USAID's Small Infrastructure for Education in Kosovo program, a partnership with CHF International which aims to complete 17 school construction projects during 2009. The projects are designed to reduce classroom shifts and improve learning conditions in Kosovo's schools. The Small Infrastructure for Education program has also identified a few smaller pilot projects that are having a big impact. These projects will be like the one in Vushtrri/Vucitrn, where materials are provided to a group of teachers and students allowing them to renovate their school themselves.

When the USAID team initially visited the Eqrem Qabej Technical School, they determined that the school did not qualify for a large investment from USAID for a complete renovation, even though conditions in the school were poor. However, local officials and staff were concerned about the school’s bathrooms, which had become practically unusable and posed a heath concern.

Teachers from the school believed that designing the renovation and repairing the school bathrooms would be a good practical exercise for the students. CHF agreed and trained a group of students to prepare the technical specifications and bill of quantities. ]]> 01.08.2009 study_georgia_01.jpg <![CDATA[Kosovo Law Students Finish Studies at Georgia State]]> Kosovo Law Students Finish Studies at Georgia State

Kosovo law students Kaltrina Ahmeti, 22, and Nikola Gjakoviç, 25, Kosovo have successfully finished their fall semester at the Georgia State University (GSU) College of Law, Atlanta. The students were recipients of scholarships offered by the International Connections Program, a joint project of the GSU College of Law and the Atlanta Bar Association, assisted by the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative.

These students were the first Kosovo students to participate in International Connections Program. In May 2008, a competitive selection process was led by the ABA ROLI in Kosovo; Ahmeti and Gjakovic were selected from 24 students who applied for the scholarships.

For Gjakovic, studying at GSU was a completely new experience. “I had the opportunity to take a course on corporations, a subject that I'm interested the most, and subject in which Americans are way ahead from all other states,” he said. Gjakovic is now back in Mitrovica and looking for a job where he could practice the skills learned.

In addition to the courses, the students also took part in brief internships with Atlanta law firms, and visited courts and observed mediation training at the Justice Center of Atlanta. “Studying at the GSU College of Law was a big intellectual challenge for me – I started thinking critically and felt comfortable making judicial assessments as a future lawyer,”, said Ahmeti.

The Kosovo students experienced everyday life, as they were hosted by local American families. Ahmeti says that she joined her host, lawyer Brynda Insley, at her depositions, mediations, interviews, court sessions, lawyers’ meetings, and other events. The same was true for Gjakovic. The GSU experience was more than he has expected, and he proudly talks about his new friendships. During their studies, the students were interviewed by The Atlanta Lawyer magazine. ]]> 01.08.2009 potato_news_01.jpg <![CDATA[Kosovo Potato Surplus Sold in Macedonia and Albania]]> Kosovo Potato Surplus Sold in Macedonia and Albania

The potato harvest had a happier ending than expected for the farmers of the TINA Agribusiness Association, who sold their crop in Macedonia and Albania. The farmers, mostly women, have been producing potatoes for long time and storing them in a traditional way, covered with soil and straw, often without any waterproof covering, which can result in significant spoilage. Last season, the farmers in the association had a major surplus of potatoes with no offers to buy their harvest. Given traditional storage methods, the entire crop could be lost while in storage.

However, this year, USAID's Kosovo Private Enterprise Program linked TINA Association with two interested buyers outside Kosovo. Eurosped from Skopje bought 200 metric tons of potatoes from the farmers, a sale worth about 20,000 euro. Another 15 metric tons were sold to Agrokoni Sh.p.k. from Tirana. These sales are an important achievement for the farmers of TINA Association as this opened a new market for them, one that can continue in the future.

USAID's Kosovo Private Enterprise Program (KPEP) is a four-year program designed to develop private sector businesses and business support services in growth sectors, and to improve the environment in which business works by helping associations and others to advocate for business-friendly policies. ]]> 01.08.2009 municipality_news_01.jpg <![CDATA[Municipalities Increase Own Source Revenues]]> Municipalities Increase Own Source Revenues

Municipalities have had success in increasing their 'own source revenues,' (OSR) or funds collected in the municipality, which remain available for municipality usage. The Municipal Performance Awards presented last month by USAID's Effective Municipalities Initiative emphasized the importance of increasing OSR.

The top five municipalities demonstrating major increases of OSR were awarded Municipal Performance Awards by the USAID/Kosovo Mission Director at a recent ceremony. Gjakove/Djakovica municipality received an award, having increased its own source revenue by 121 percent in 2008. Their success was achieved largely by waging an innovative campaign against illegal construction, forcing builders and owners to pay the fees and late penalties to acquire permits for all buildings constructed without permits.

The five winning municipalities increased the collection of OSR by an average of 154 percent in 2008 compared to 2007. These increases are largely due to municipal executive bodies taking more effective and aggressive measures to collect fees and taxes from several important revenue categories (including property tax, building and construction permits, transferring property ownership, renting municipal facilities and property, and registering businesses). ]]>