KOSOVO INSTITUTIONS PLEDGE TO BE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE

Thirteen Kosovo central and local institutions pledged to continue working with USAID to reform public procurement at a Memoranda of Understanding ceremony held on July 27 at the US Embassy in Pristina. The signatories committed to continue to make strides in transparency and accountability within their own institutions and to be champions of change that model the highest ethics and integrity for other municipalities in Kosovo and the wider Balkans region.

“Here in Kosovo, supporting anti-corruption efforts is one of my top priorities. Your presence here today makes clear that it is one of your top priorities, as well as it is for many of Kosovo’s central and municipal public institutions, civil society, and private sector actors,” said Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier in his address to the participants of the event. Relevant ministries, partner municipalities, and central institutions such as Public Procurement Regulatory Commission (PPRC), Kosovo Institution for Public Administration (KIPA), Procurement Review Board (PRB), Ministry of Finance Central Harmonization Unit (CHU), and National Audit Office (NAO) were in attendance. 

Hekuran Murati, Minister of Finance, Labor, and Transfers spoke on behalf of the Government of Kosovo and reiterated that Kosovo institutions remain committed to reforming public procurement processes.  Murati affirmed that the reform efforts go hand-in-hand with the Kosovo government's priority to combat corruption.

The event marked the start of USAID’s Kosovo Municipal Integrity activity, which will address corruption in public procurement and poor-quality service delivery – long-standing challenges the Government of Kosovo (GoK) faces.  The activity will facilitate efforts to improve financial management in municipal procurement and strengthen accountability mechanisms within and outside of government. By working with local governments, national accountability bodies, the private sector, civil society, and the media, USAID will promote a more accountable and citizen-responsive local governance.