First meeting of the Council

Council for the Implementation of the Government Strategy for Cooperation with Civil Society held its first inaugural meeting in Prishtina on 15.10.2014. This Council will be a mechanism for the implementation of the Strategy and the development of cooperation of the Government with Civil Society Organizations in Kosovo. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary General in the Office of the Prime Minister, M. Fitim Krasniqi and Mrs. Valdete Idrizi , CiviKos representative. "As a Council consisting of more members of civil society rather than by the Government, I am confident of success, its efficiency and productivity.

I personally will engage with all our personal capacities, administrative and professional of the Government, "said Secretary General of the Office of the Prime Minister, M. Fitim Krasniqi. On the other hand, Mrs. Idrizi, Executive Director of CiviKos Platform referring to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between CSOs and the government in 2007 said "I want to highlight that the commitments made by the Government and Civil Society representatives who signed the Memorandum of Understanding have started to be implemented.

We are engaged in building democracy, active citizenship, pluralism, human rights, equal opportunities, transparency, Inter-sectoral work, sustainable development and cooperation. The Council was established by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo in its meeting on 02.04.2014 and is composed by 29 members, 14 of whom are from the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and 15 members of civil society. Government Strategy for Cooperation with Civil society has identified four main objectives of cooperation: - Providing and strengthening civil society participation in the design and implementation of policies and legislation - a system of contracting public services building for civil society organizations - a system building and criteria for the financially supported CSOs, and - Promoting an integrated approach to volunteering development. Rules of Procedure of the Council for the Implementation of Government Strategy for Cooperation with Civil Society was adopted at this meeting, and a decision was made to establish working groups, based the four objectives identified in the Government's Strategy for cooperation with civil society 2013- 2017.