Brussels, 09/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - An inter-parliamentary meeting will take pace on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 April in Pristina, Kosovo. Doris Pack (EPP-ED, Germany, and president of the delegation of the European Parliament) and Jakup Krasniqi, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of Kosovo, adopted a joint declaration on the current situation in Kosovo and the changes to make.
Although the political situation is stable overall, it is not rock solid. Kosovo and its institutions must become more democratic and provisions on its constitution have to be applied. Reforms are slow and the government has to make a real effort on transparency. Better coordination between the government and parliament, as well as between the institutions of the state and civil society is necessary. Political intervention in public administration and corruption should not be tolerated.
The fight against corruption and crime has to be put into practice through specific measures. EURLEX (European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo) should also be at the service of ethnic minorities and used for processing complaints against discrimination and violence etc.
The decentralisation process should be sustained by defining relations and remits between central and local levels. The constitution stipulates that reconciliation and respect for the rights of all the communities in Kosovo are absolute priorities,
The government is being encouraged to pursue a more ambitious strategy in the area of education, as well as progressive and non-exclusive measures aimed at minorities in an effort to fight youth unemployment.
Kosovars should urgently take in hand their own economy, wellbeing and environment, in an effort to underpin sustainable development in the country. The Privatisation Agency of Kosovo should take more transparent action and comply with the international and European provisions on the protection of property. Good energy supplies are a precondition for foreign investment. (E.M./transl.rh)