Municipal Assembly: A strong link between the citizen and state at the local level

The work of local government is fundamentally important. Municipalities are the basic governing units in the local government system in the Republic of Kosovo. They’re the primary provider of numerous essential services, and their work touches lives of everybody, every day, whether we realise it or not.

In many respects local government, woven as it is through our day-to-day experiences, embodies the closest relationship between the citizens and the state. From providing easy mobility for people with special needs, to issuing civil status documents and overall offering quality services to citizens, municipalities maintain local infrastructure, support local economy, and nurture public green spaces. Ensuring overall good governance and bringing value to citizens is only effective when there is a successful cooperation and balance between two key actors: the executive body and the municipal assembly.

The municipal assembly, as the direct representative of its voters, decides on general policies including the adoption of the budget, special regulation etc. On the other side, the mayor together with the sector directors, is responsible for carrying out the assembly’s policy direction through the day-to-day management of municipality functions.

As communities look to their elected representatives for leadership and guidance, assembly members take up the role of political custodians of good governance, and vigorously advocate for the needs of the communities they represent, provide this by putting forward options and presenting arguments and solutions to problems at assembly meetings.

The mayor – being the civic leader of a community – is involved in developing a vision for the community and deciding what needs to be done to achieve that vision, but also lend positive impetus to the process of public participation in the affairs of their municipalities. In turn the executive carries out the work in a more responsible and accountable manner.

This is true in theory; in reality, it’s much more complex!

In Kosovo’s local democracy, the relationship between the executive and the municipal assembly has had its ebbs and flows. It wasn’t long ago, when municipal assembly members were reluctant to be inquisitive about the affairs of the executive, because mayors and directors didn’t want to be put in the hot seat. For municipal assembly member keeping the executive happy meant retaining privileges. This happened also because many of them did not know their roles and responsibilities.

“In the beginning, the municipal assembly members were reluctant to challenge the mayors in the process of decision making, fearing that they might damage the relationship with the executive-level officials as that usually translates into loss of privileges,” says Merita Barileva, senior intervention manager at DEMOS project. “At the same time, the other front (the executive) was resisting to give more power to the assembly members, avoiding questions that would challenge their comfort zone.” – adds Merita.

And that’s were the DEMOS project intervened.

The project has worked hand in hand with elected members of the municipal assembly, offering a training program to enhance their performance and to help them to better understand their roles and responsibilities e.g., the Handbook for Municipal Assembly Members. The handbook, among other contributions, explains the functioning of the Municipal Assembly and Municipal Assembly Committees, Municipal Assembly’s cooperation with village councils, municipal assembly’s communication with the public, addressing the elements of direct democracy in municipalities.

“The handbook was very efficient in providing the needed information about the roles and responsibilities of the municipal assembly members. Prior to this, there was a grave lack of information shared to the municipal assembly members about their duties and overall procedures in the municipal assembly.” – Hyra Bytyqi, former assembly member.

The new Handbook for Municipal Assembly Members encouraged a change in behaviour: Mayors and Directors started practising regular reporting on their achievements and this helped them improve their reputation within the assembly and build their integrity.

Only after a series of productive assembly sessions, the executive level started to realise that the empowerment of the municipal assembly members along with their increased competence will contribute to a better work of the municipal executive. Mayors and directors of the executive started preparing ahead of the meetings, fearing that their authority would be called into question and minimized. Because of their reliance on local votes for re-election, they were highly motivated to perform well. As the transparency of their municipalities increased over time, the executive level started receiving more positive feedback from the international donors and civil society organisations.