The full speech of Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi:
Dear Prime Minister,
Dear Deputy Prime Minister,
Dear Minister,
Allow me to present today the achievements in the implementation of the political priorities for integration in the European Union – ERA II. This information is based on the final report on the achievements in the implementation of these priorities which we implemented through the Action Plan of ERA II (PV ERA II).
This report covers the entire period of implementation of these reforms, i.e. from the middle of 2021 to the end of 2023. Together with the European Commission, we have decided to conclude ERA II, and continue with the implementation of the National Program for European Integration and reforms also as part of the Growth Plan. Therefore, the ERA II reforms that are currently being implemented will be implemented through these two mechanisms for European integration.
As you know, ERA II contained 15 priorities, while the action plan contained 341 activities for the implementation of these priorities.
According to the final report, a total of 243 of the 341 planned activities were implemented (or 71.26%).
Since I have informed you every three months on the implementation of ERA II and some implemented activities I mentioned in the exposition on the implementation of the National Program for European Integration, allow me to focus on some key reforms implemented within the framework of ERA II.
Until the end of 2023, the Assembly has approved 22 laws that we have foreseen in this document, and some of the most important are:
- Law on General Elections in the Republic of Kosovo;
- Law on Financing of Political Entities;
- Criminal Procedure Code;
- Law on the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption;
- Law on Public Officials;
- Law on Wages in the Public Sector;
- Law on the first wave and the law on the second wave of agency rationalization;
- Law on Prevention and Protection from Domestic and Gender-Based Violence;
- Law on General Safety of Products;
- Law on General Inspections;
- Law on Commercial Court;
- Law on Protection of Competition;
- Law on Protection of Air from Pollution;
- Law on Waste;
- Law on the Accreditation Agency;
- Law on Early Childhood Education;
- Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases.
In addition to these, the Government has approved and forwarded to the Assembly 5 draft laws, which are awaiting approval by the Assembly, and which are related to citizenship, the Independent Media Commission; renewable energy, higher education and religious freedom.
Of the other reforms implemented, I will mention only a few key reforms:
- Approval of the Rule of Law Sectoral Strategy and its implementation;
- Approval of the National Strategy and Action Plan against Domestic Violence;
- Approval of the Strategic Plan for the Efficient Resolution of Cases of Corruption and Organized Crime;
- Approval of the new Strategy for Public Administration Reform and the Action Plan for its Implementation;
- Approval of the 2022-2026 Public Finance Management Reform Strategy and the action plan for its implementation;
- Approval of the Energy Strategy 2022-2031 and the Program for its implementation;
- Approval of the Strategic Plan of the Accreditation Agency;
- Functionalization of the Commercial Court;
- Creation and continuous expansion of the e-Kosova public services portal;
- Establishment of the unit for informing businesses about standards;
- Reducing the administrative burden through the simplification, merger or abolition of 8% of permits and licenses for economic operators;
- Realization of two (2) wind energy projects, with a capacity of 68.94 MW;
- Implementation of household energy efficiency measures through the Reliable Energy Landscape (RELP) project in 1,600 homes and 25 residential complexes;
- Supporting employment, through the benefit of an average of about 4,000 people per year from active labor market measures, increasing employment mediation for young people and vulnerable groups by 2% every year, support for formalized workers, support for the employment of women and persons with disabilities, and employment and information technology training;
- Improving safety and health at work, through the drafting of 3 manuals and 35 checklists for labor inspectors, training of labor inspectors, identification of companies in sectors exposed to higher risk, increasing the total number of inspections by 5,000 to 6,000 and joint inspections from 435 to over 500 (during 2022, 81 joint inspections with the Police and TAK were carried out).
As I pointed out in the report on PKIE, we are now in the final stage of preparing the National Program for European Integration for the period 2024-2028, while some reforms and measures from ERA II have been transferred to this program and will be implemented during 2024.
In the end, allow me to thank you for the work done by your ministries during the last three years in the framework of these political priorities.
Thank you for your attention,
Last modified: February 21, 2024
