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Visa liberalization forces efforts to combat corruption

13.03.2016

Irresponsible politics is on the verge of risking the future, well-being and visa liberalization of citizens only not to interrupt political bargains in public procurement. On March the 10th, 14 months after being arrested based on the allegation for being involved in human trafficking, the Assembly decided to dismiss the member of the board of Procurement Review Body (PRB). The latter has been in custody for the past 14 months and has been receiving his regular salary from Kosovo’s budget.

His dismissal came just after the European Union set the dismissal of officials of PRB charged with a criminal offense as a criteria for visa liberalization. Similarly, the chairman of PRB, Hysni Hoxha, resigned on January the 15th 2016, just days before the entry into force of the new law which requires members of the PRB to “not be charged or convicted of any criminal offense”.

 

The impact of the political factor continues to have a primary role in the functioning of independent institutions, or better say in appointments or dismissals of managerial positions of independent organizations appointed by the Assembly. The PRB happens to be one of these cases. From August 2013 until March 2014, the PRB was left without its five members of the board, since the Government delayed the submission of proposals to the Assembly. In addition, in the case of appointing the new members of this board, the Assembly ignored the recommendation of the independent selection board, which had its concerns with regard to some of the appointed nominees, including an ongoing corruption investigation.

Given these developments and practices, KDI calls the Parliament to revise the legal basis for independent agencies which report to this institution. This means the application of sanctions for chairmen or members of the board of independent institutions, in the event of their unsatisfying performance or allegations of criminal offences. Furthermore, disapproval of their annual reports by the Assembly should bear the sanction of dismissal of these individuals.