In a difficult and often challenging year for the Government and for Kosovo society in general, a number of political developments have cast shadows over the long-term stability of the governing coalition composed of PDK, LDK, and Srpska lista. Internal disagreements over major issues such as the newly-adopted Law on Trepça/Trepča or the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities have put a strain on the work of the government endangering its majority in parliament. At the same time, the agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro turned into a major political issue with the opposition staging a number of strong protests inside and outside parliament; Srpska lista chose to boycott the vote, leading to a deadlock and complicating relations within the government even further.

Notwithstanding these challenges, there were a number of positive developments in Kosovo as well. The Government of Kosovo continued to invest significant sums of money in the four northern municipalities through direct budgetary support and the Development Fund for the North. President Thaçi’s visits to the memorials of Kosovo Serb civilian victims of the Kosovo War in Gračanica/Graçanicë and Pejë/Peć, represented an important step as leaders increase their efforts to reach out to all civilian victims of the war; the Government’s decision to begin verifying diplomas from graduates of the University of Mitrovica North provides them with an opportunity to seek public employment within Kosovo institutions, yielding immediate positive results in increasing opportunities for employment for minority communities. Finally, in line with the Brussels agreement on the judiciary, the integration of the judiciary system previously run by Serbia in northern Kosovo to the Kosovo-run judiciary system is progressing, albeit at a deliberate rate.

This issue of the Kosovo Communities Issues Monitor provides a detailed overview of some of the main developments during 2016 and provides concrete recommendations on how to renew and re-energize the community agenda during 2017 in line with existing agreements and the legal framework in Kosovo, chief among them are postponing or rapidly dealing with the issue of border demarcation, which has poisoned and complicated all other developments in 2016, and then moving swiftly with the challenging agenda for communities, which includes dealing with the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities as well as a host of other issues discussed in this report.

Click here for the full Kosovo Communities Issues Monitor in Albanian, Serbian and English .

Në kuadër të projektit CARES, më 16 dhe 17 Dhjetor, u organizua Konferenca për Përmirësimin e Shëndetit Riprodhues me qëllim shkëmbimin e përvojave, mendimeve, modeleve të praktikave më të mira dhe mësimeve të marra përsa i përket përmirësimin e shëndetit riprodhues, ngritjen e vetëdijes për këtë temë dhe rëndësinë e bashkëpunimit ndërkombëtar në këtë fushë.

Tetori, në të gjithë botën është muaji i ndërgjegjësimit për zbulimin e hershëm të kancerit të gjirit. Muaji i ndërgjegjësimit për kancerin e gjirit është një fushatë vjetore ndërkombëtare që synon të shpërndajë informacion dhe të edukojë njerëzit për rëndësinë e shëndetit të gjirit, për zbulimin e hershëm të kancerit të gjirit te gratë dhe vajzat në të gjithë botën.

Më 1 Mars, 2019 Qendra Evropiane për Çështje të Minoriteteve në Kosovë, (ECMI Kosovo) filloi zbatimin e projektit tetëmbëdhjetë (18) mujorë “Veprimet ndërkufitare në Sektorin e Shëndetit Riprodhues“ të financuar nga Bashkimi Evropian përmes Programit të bashkëpunimit ndërkufitar Mali i Zi-Kosovë 2014-2020. Qëllimi i përgjithshëm i projektit është të kontribuojë në përmirësimin e shëndetit riprodhues të grave në komunat Pejë, Istog, Klinë, Deçan dhe Gjakovë në Kosovë me theks të veçantë duke i targetur gratë nga grupet e cënueshme dhe të margjinalizuara. Në mënyrë të veçantë, ky projekt ka për qëllim përmirësimin e cilësisë së shërbimeve të shëndetit riprodhues dhe ndërgjegjësimin e popullatës për mbrojtjen e shëndetit riprodhues.

This research project aims to carry out an institutional assessment of the Council, looking at structural challenges to the institution, its financial administration and its fulfillment of its mandate. Following this, suggestions are made as to the improved functioning of the council in order to more effectively fulfill its mandate and act in the interests of the communities it represents. This research included thorough desk research carrying out a comprehensive review of existing research and statistics on the Council. Furthermore, interviews were carried out with both present and former members of the CCC, in addition to representatives of Kosovo’s communities, to obtain a first-hand account of the functioning of the council and its relations with the individuals it is said to represent.

The project creates favourable working conditions for one of the most disadvantaged groups in our society, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian community members, by offering them opportunities to improve their social welfare, reduce unemployment and create sustainable incomes for themselves and their families. The project provides support to these members, who collect recyclable materials in an informal capacity, by using and expanding existing business models that they have established by supporting them to improve their skills, broaden their access to resources and capacity to collect recyclable waste.

Please click here for the full version of the brochure in Albanian, Serbian and English.