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Combating corruption in Kosovo

Project completed
Four young developers sitting at a table discussing IT solutions designed to help the municipality create more transparency.
In Gjakova, a hackathon brings together developers looking for IT solutions to help the municipality create more transparency. © SDC

Corruption is rampant among Kosovo’s public institutions and undermines citizens’ trust in the system. The SDC is supporting a project designed to address this problem by promoting transparency in institutions and encouraging citizens to report abuses.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Kosovo
Governance
nothemedefined
Anti-corruption organisations
01.05.2016 - 30.06.2020
 CHF  2’855’500
Background

Kosovo’s public institutions were instructed by the government to fight corruption, yet in 2013 and 2014 only 54% of the planned anti-corruption initiatives were implemented. The second phase of the “Support to Anti-Corruption Efforts in Kosovo” project (SAEK II) takes into account the context, the lack of political will and the limited capacities of anti-corruption institutions. Integrity plans have been developed and are being used to create anti-corruption “models”. At the same time, the capacities of anti-corruption institutions are being strengthened and citizens and civil society organisations are being empowered.
Objectives

The goal of the SAEK II project is to reduce corruption in public institutions by encouraging citizens to demand accountability, which can help spur the development of political will. As in the first phase of the project, particular attention is being paid to administrative corruption, which refers to the abuse of power and resources in public sector entities and in the judiciary. Support for anti-corruption institutions is being continued under SAEK II, as this can play an important role in achieving results and reassuring citizens that their efforts can lead to change.
Target groups

UNDP Kosovo
Medium-term outcomes
  • Anti-corruption institutions in Kosovo monitor public institutions more effectively.
  • The central and local institutions selected for the project demonstrate integrity and transparency.
  • Greater respect is achieved for citizens' and civil society organisations' right to accountability and transparency as part of the fight against corruption.
Results

Expected results:  

  • Four thousand cases of corruption have been reported by citizens through www.kallxo.com, and the website team forwarded 10% of these cases to the authorities concerned. 180 cases are now being investigated.
  • The number of cases handled by the prosecutor increased by 30% relative to 2013.
  • Corruption risk assessments were prepared in the health, education, energy and mining sectors.
  • As a result of these assessments, the patients association (with the support of SAEK) created the post of health mediator in Pristina and Prizren.


Results from previous phases:  

  • Kosovo’s anti-corruption institutions, headed by the Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency; the Judicial Council; and the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council.
  • Public institutions and municipalities, through the adoption of integrity plans.
  • Vulnerable and marginalised citizens (they will be informed of their right to inclusive services and instructed how to report public services that fall short of minimum standards through www.kallxo.com).
  • Kosovo’s citizens, the project’s overall indirect beneficiaries.
Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Swiss cooperation with Eastern Europe
Project partners Contract partner
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • United Nations Development Programme


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’855’500 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    2’884’926
Project phases Phase 3 01.07.2020 - 31.12.2024   (Current phase)

Phase 2 01.05.2016 - 30.06.2020   (Completed)

Phase 1 01.09.2012 - 30.04.2016   (Completed)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Anti-corruption organisations and institutions
    Aid Type Project and programme contribution
    Project number

    7F08427

Corruption is widespread in Kosovo, which ranks last among the Western Balkans in the 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. Corruption permeates the system, from local governments and administrations to the judicial and health sectors. It weakens democratic institutions and hinders economic development, to the detriment of hundreds of thousands of citizens. This young state is in the process of implementing modern standards in its public administration and therefore has limited resources available to fight corruption. And its efforts do not enjoy the support of political authorities, who are resistant to change.

The SDC and the Danish government are co-financing a project run by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at reducing administrative corruption and the abuse of power in public institutions and the judicial sector. It seeks to make citizens aware of the important role that they can play. It is hoped that these efforts to promote transparent and accountable institutions will encourage the development of political will.

The “Support to Anti-Corruption Efforts” project

Following the end of the first phase (2012–2015) of the ’Support to Anti-Corruption Efforts in Kosovo’ project, the second phase (SAEK II) is being implemented at various levels:

  • Anti-corruption institutions are being strengthened in their task of monitoring institutions. This is achieved through technical expertise and the exchange of best practices between European countries, which will help measure and prevent corruption. Institutions are also encouraged to develop a policy and laws in line with the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).
  • As part of the effort to guide institutions towards transparency and accountability, integrity plans are being developed to monitor how efficient the institutions are and how well they are run. Assessment grids are being created and used to gauge their performance, while tools are being developed to increase their transparency by publishing information on the internet.
    In Gjakova, for example, 55 young developers participated in a hackathon – a collaborative programming event – in an attempt to find innovative solutions to the municipality’s problems. An online hiring process was among the new services that will be developed.
  • In an effort to strengthen citizens’ and civil society’s right to accountable institutions, platforms are being set up to make it easier for anti-corruption bodies and civil society to share information. Educational activities that raise people’s awareness of this issue are also being run. They are meant to empower all citizens, especially the most marginalised groups, and to restore their trust in institutions.

Successfully reporting bribe solicitations

Since 2012, citizens have used www.kallxo.com to report some 4,000 cases of corruption or public services that do not meet minimum standards. Each case is reviewed by a team of professionals with legal and journalistic expertise who are associated with that website. If there are sufficient grounds, the complaints are forwarded to the authorities concerned, which must then respond to the charges. If sufficient grounds are lacking, the media are used to apply political pressure. Some cases are eventually prosecuted. The website is increasingly used, and municipalities commonly put a link to it on their own website. A number of surveys show that citizens consider it one of the most trusted institutions today.

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Last update 06.05.2021