KDI analytical report with findings from monitoring of three contracts at the Municipality of Prishtina was presented in the roundtable discussion titled “Efficiency of the Municipality of Prishtina in Public Procurement”. 

KDI report for the Municipality identified a series of weaknesses pertaining to drafting of tender dossiers, where discriminatory requirements for businesses were found. The weakest point in procurement at the Municipality was supervision of contract management. Also, cases were identified when as a consequence of lacking supervision of works, in the case of clearing roads and sidewalks from snow, companies were paid even for works that they did not complete. However, the Municipality was assessed with positive marks in general due to its efficiency with regard to entering contracts with favourable prices. In the case of the Municipality of Prishtina, the usual remarks about high prices were not found, as is the case in other municipalities that were monitored. Dardan Sejdiu, deputy mayor of Municipality of Prishtina said that he welcomes recommendations of the civil society related to public procurement. However, he did not agree with some of the findings pertaining to discriminatory requirements for businesses, stating that there was no lack of competitiveness at the Municipality at any time. He noted that the Municipality is at the phase of establishing of a special directorate that will deal with drafting tender specifications and supervision of contracts in order to avoid continued defects in tender supervision.
Bekim Gashi from Democratic League of Kosovo, a representative at the Municipal Assembly, stated that procurement is a dark hole in Kosovo in general due it its close ties to corruption. He stated that for contracts for which the analysis of tenders was completed, the situation is good. However he has highlighted numerous remarks related to other procurement procedures, where the Procurement Review Body (PRB) had found violations. A specific case for which the municipality was criticized was the tender for covering road holes, which is being prolonged by PRB due to complaints of businesses.
Kristian Hasanaj from Initiative for Progress (INPO) also said that the Municipality has had a slow dynamic of spending public monies and subsequently high surplus. Hasanaj also had remarks about the Law on Public Procurement, which has not regulated well the area of procurement, since it has provided much leeway to businesses to submit appeals related to projects. Other participants in the meeting shared varied positions about efficiency of the Municipality in the area of public procurement, addressing problems with laws, institutions, regulations and others. Also, they asked not to apply discriminatory requirements to businesses, but noted that it should always be paid attention to quality of works or services provided.

The roundtable was also attended by representatives of the Municipality of Prishtina, political parties at the Municipal Assembly, as well as representatives of organisations that monitor the work of the Municipality of Prishtina.

 

Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI), a branch of Transparency International (TI) for Kosovo, was supported for this project by the UK Embassy in Prishtina.