British Embassy supports Accountability and Transparency of Public Procurement in Kosovo
Ambasador O’Connell welcomes the commitment of the government departments to facilitate the monitoring of the British Embassy’s project with KDI
On 14 July 2015, Ambassador Ruairí O’Connell together with Minister of Infrastructure Lufti Zharku, Minister of Health Ismet Rrahmani, Director of Central Procurement Agency Mursel Rraci and Executive Director of KDI Ismet Kryeziu, discussed public procurement in Kosovo.
This year the Embassy is continuing its support for the Kosovo Democratic Institute’s (KDI) project on public procurement. Over the past four years, this project has focused on advancing procurement legislation, building the capacities of local NGOs to monitor public procurement activities in their municipalities and has developed the Public Procurement Transparency Index for municipalities and government cabinet in Kosovo. This project will use all these tools to monitor public procurement to address the weaknesses and strengthen the process. This will contribute to improving the transparency and accountability of public funds.
Ambassador O’Connell said:
Public procurement has been a problem. Non-transparent and non-accountable procurement allows for corruption and inefficient expenditure of public funds. But on the other hand transparent and accountable procurement stops corruption and mismanagement and increases efficiency. I hope the government of Kosovo is ready to co-operate with civil society to improve public procurement.