Eleven (11) decisions that would improve transparency and increase the accountability of the Government

On 16 December 2014, the GAP Institute and the Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS) held a Press Conference and released an 11 (eleven) point plan, which aims to help increase the transparency, accountability, and efficiency of the government.

The GAP Institute and the Group for Legal and Political Studies expressed their deep concern with the size of the new government cabinet, consisting of three deputy prime-ministers, 21 ministers, 71 deputy ministers, 170 political advisors and personal staff in the respective cabinets. A big government is both unnecessary and hampers good governance in Kosovo.

In July this year, the GAP Institute proposed that the new government should encompass only 13 ministries. Moreover, a few days ago, GLPS and GAP presented the proposal for the new government plan, which called on the new government to reduce the number of ministries and other political positions.

This 11-point plan suggests that the big number of ministerial posts is unnecessary and will induce excessive, ad hoc, and uncontrolled expenditures.

GAP and GLPS, noting obviously the lack of will of the current Prime Minister Isa Mustafa to establish a smaller government, require that the latter undertake measures that will offer full transparency and increase the supervision of the use of public money by any senior political official.

In order to ensure transparency and control the way the public money is spent, GAP and GLPS require that Prime Minister Mustafa undertake the following policy measures:

1. Make public and accessible all decisions of the Prime Minister on the appointment of all deputy-ministers.

2. Make public and accessible all decisions related to the salaries of Prime minister, ministers, deputy ministers and political advisors.

3. Submit for approval to the Assembly the draft-law for the salaries of senior public officials.

4. Make public and accessible the log/record regarding the use of official vehicles, as required by Administrative Instruction 03/2008 on the use of official vehicles.[1]The log/record should be updated every month and public data should consist of: the name of the public official using the official vehicle, kilometres travelled, the amount of the fuel used, the type of vehicle, and the registration plates of the vehicle in use. In addition, the entire database for official vehicles should be made public as foreseen by Administrative Instruction 03/2008, Article 14.

5. Require that the Ministry of Public Administration complete the installation of the GPS systems in all government vehicles. Data gathered through the GPS should be accessible to the public, through the Record on Use of Official Vehicles.

6. On the 15th of each month, make public and accessible (?) all detailed data regarding the costs incurred from the use of mobile phones by all ministers, deputy ministers, political advisors, deputy prime ministers, and the prime minister. Keeping such a record is an obligation deriving from Article 11 of the Administrative Instruction 04/2008 on the use of telephones (landline and mobile phones) in the Government of Kosovo.[2] In addition, the Government should keep the record for the type of mobile phones and their purchasing price and make it public, as foreseen by Administrative Instruction 04/2008.

7. On the 15th of each month, make public and accessible the records of the costs of official lunches for the previous months, covering all political staff enjoying such a right as per the Article 5 of the Administrative Instruction 01/2008 on determining the cost of representation for Officials of Government Institutions.[3]

8. On the 15th of each month, make public and accessible the register on the use of credit cards by the members of government cabinet. The same should be subjected to audit by the Office of General Auditor.

9. To submit for approval to the Assembly the Law on Government, which limits the number of ministerial posts to 13, posts of deputy prime ministers to 2, deputy ministers up to 15, and political advisors 4 posts for each minister and deputy minister.[4]
10. To make public the Administrative Instruction on per diem fees during travels outside country. Moreover, to request that the Anti-Corruption Agency, in their forms for the declaration of assets, should introduce, except the declaration of salary, the declaration of per diems received for each respective year.
11. To ensure that the Government of Kosovo keeps a record of and makes public data regarding the official visits of government members outside Kosovo. This record should contain information about the purpose of the visit, institutions to be visited, and the names of the members of the Kosovo delegation part of the official visit.

[1]Administrative Instruction 03/2008. Source: http://www.kryeministri-ks.net/repository/docs/U.A._nr.03-2008_per_perdorimin_e_automjeteve_te_Qeverise_se_Kosoves.pdf

[2]Administrative Instruction 04/2008. Source: http://www.kryeministri-ks.net/repository/docs/Udhezim_Administrativ_Nr.04-2008.pdf

[3]Administrative Instruction01/2008. Source: http://www.kryeministri-ks.net/repository/docs/Udhezim_Administrativ_Nr.01-2008.pdf

[4]See GAP analysis as how this can be achieved: http://www.institutigap.org/documents/16618_ristrukturimiqeverise.pdf