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ECMI Kosovo helped write Kosovo’s community-rights protections and establish bodies through which communities take part in public decisions. We work with community representatives and political leaders on the rules, mandates and working relationships needed to make those protections effective.
Shaping the legal framework for community rights
During the status negotiations led by UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari, ECMI helped prepare the Kosovo side’s positions on community rights, bringing comparative legal expertise into discussion with community representatives.
That work carried into the constitutional and legislative framework that followed. ECMI contributed to drafting the Constitution’s provisions on community rights and prepared the draft Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Communities and Their Members, working with Kosovo’s institutions, the International Civilian Office and community representatives. Alongside our earlier work on the Law on the Use of Languages, these contributions helped translate commitments to communities into legal protections.
Kosovo’s institutions were responsible for adopting these texts. ECMI’s contribution was the legal drafting, comparative expertise and dialogue with communities that informed them.
From dialogue to a permanent consultative body
Our support to the Consultative Council for Communities (CCC) grew from dialogue among community representatives and engagement with Kosovo’s political leadership during the status process. In 2006–2007, we supported community participation in discussions on the proposed settlement and arrangements for protecting communities.
In 2008, ECMI worked with the President’s Office on the CCC’s framework: comparative research, draft legal instruments, nomination and accreditation procedures, and information for communities. We organised the June launch meeting chaired by President Fatmir Sejdiu, then supported consultations and nominations leading to the Council’s inaugural meeting in December.
Support continued through rules of procedure, secretariat arrangements, planning, outreach and participation in legislative and policy discussions. Our community legislative-process handbook explains how community participation bodies can engage with law-making.
Supporting the Office for Community Affairs
ECMI also supported the establishment and development of the Office for Community Affairs (OCA) within the Prime Minister’s Office, working on mandates, methods and strategic planning.
We developed a database linking minority-rights provisions in domestic legislation and policies to the bodies responsible for implementing them. Research on language-rights implementation also helped build the OCA’s capacity to identify barriers to services and develop responses.
Decentralisation and local participation
Through successive Finland-supported programmes, ECMI worked with communities and local administrations on municipal planning, local economic development and outreach. Research and dialogue brought municipal officials, businesses and residents together around local priorities.
In 2012, we established five economic-development focus groups involving municipal officials and local business communities. Training covered the legal and planning aspects of local economic development; municipal profiles and field research documented businesses and socioeconomic conditions.
In northern Kosovo, this work included research, public information and support to the Mitrovica North Administrative Office’s communication and outreach. We opened our Mitrovica North office in November 2012 to strengthen relationships with communities and local partners. This presence supports our continuing work across linguistic and geographic divides.
Research that follows institutions into practice
Establishing a consultative body is one step; making its voice count requires attention to how it works. Our 2019 study Kosovo’s Consultative Council for Communities assessed the Council’s operation and obstacles to its influence. Desk research and interviews informed recommendations for its functioning.
