Helvetas, under the DEMOS project, in cooperation with the Ministry of Local Government Administration (MLGA), held the Municipal Performance Grant conference, where the performance of municipalities for 2023 was discussed, and efforts for good governance at the local level were evaluated. This conference was attended by high-level institutional and international representatives, as well as some of the mayors of Kosovo municipalities.
On this occasion, the Ambassador of the European Union to Kosovo, Mr. Aivo Orav, congratulated the beneficiary municipalities of the Municipal Performance Grant, emphasizing the support of the European Union for local governance.
Ambassador Orav, among other things, emphasized that they are proud to support the Municipal Performance Grant in Kosovo, as a valuable initiative, developed in close partnership with the Ministry of Local Government Administration. He stated that the Municipal Performance Grant does not only serve as a financial instrument, but above all, it functions as a strategic catalyst that encourages municipalities to improve institutional performance and deliver public services with greater efficiency and sensitivity to the needs of citizens. “This year, a total of 7.7 million euros will be allocated to twelve municipalities that have shown extraordinary commitment and have invested a lot of energy and effort: Dragash/Dragaš, Drenas/Glogovac, Istog/Istok, Junik/Junik, Kaçanik/Kačanik, Klina/Klina, Lipjan/Lipljane, Mamusha/Mamuša, South Mitrovica, Partesh/Parteš, Prizren/Prizren and Suhareka/Suva Reka. We warmly congratulate each of them,” said the EU Ambassador to Kosovo, Mr. Aivo Orav.
Director for Eastern Europe at Helvetas, Mr. Matthias Herr highlighted the fact that democracy around the world is facing increasing challenges. He said in his speech that civic space is shrinking, trust in institutions is being tested, and local governance must adapt to the pressures of urbanization, migration and climate change. While needs are growing, donor funding – including for governance and decentralization – is also under pressure.
However, he stressed that Helvetas remains committed to continuing to contribute to advancing the process of systemic improvements and building sustainable municipalities, to ensure a better future for Kosovo. “Strengthening local governance is not just an internal priority, it is essential for Kosovo’s European future. Strong, transparent and accountable municipalities are key to meeting many of the
requirements of the EU accession process. Progress at the local level is also progress for Kosovo as a whole on its path to EU membership,” said Mr. Herr.
Two discussion panels were also held within the framework of the conference, where the role of mayors in performance management and grant implementation was addressed. Through these discussions, concrete experiences from municipalities were shared and the importance of using data for informed decision-making was highlighted.
The Municipal Performance Grant is funded by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo in cooperation with the DEMOS project, which is co-financed by the European Union, Switzerland and Sweden and implemented by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation. Based on the results for 2023, 12 municipalities were awarded a total amount of 7.7 million Euros. The beneficiary municipalities are Dragash/Dragaš, Drenas/Glogovac, Istog/Istok, Junik/Junik, Kaçanik/Kačanik, Klina/Klina, Lipjan/Lipljane, Mamusha/Mamuša, South Mitrovica, Partesh/Parteš, Prizren/Prizren and Suhareka/Suva Reka.
To benefit from this grant, municipalities must meet at least four essential criteria: reporting their data to the municipal performance management system, reviewing municipal acts, successfully spending their investment budget, and implementing financial management and control systems. The grant amount is determined based on 30 different performance indicators in the fields of local democracy, internal municipal management, and service delivery for citizens.
Through this grant, municipalities will invest in capital projects that directly impact the lives of citizens. From building roads to improving services, the grant represents an important mechanism for promoting accountability and increasing the quality of local governance.
