PRISTINA, 15 February 2021 - The joint European Union and Council of Europe initiative – Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey (2019-2022) - will continue to support the Kosovo authorities’ efforts to comply with Council of Europe standards and the EU acquis in the framework of the enlargement process.

Participants in the second meeting of the Horizontal Facility II Beneficiary Steering Committee, which was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed that the programme actions – ‘Strengthening the quality and efficiency of justice’;  ‘Promotion of diversity and equality’; ‘Freedom of expression and freedom of the media’-  will continue to provide tailor-made and demand-driven support aimed at further improving legal and policy frameworks and building institutional capacities to reinforce the functioning Kosovo institutions. The Horizontal Facility II budget for actions in Kosovo totals €1,725,000.

Head of the Council of Europe Office in Pristina, Frank Power, took stock of the achievements made in 2020, noting that the programme had been able to adapt to the circumstances of the COVID-19 crisis. “Despite a very challenging environment over the past year, and with the co-operation of our local partners, we have developed new and innovative working methods across all actions, allowing us to continue to deliver concrete results supporting human rights and the rule of law.”

Krenare Bektashi-Muçolli, Senior Development Assistance Officer in the Prime Minister’s Office, called the Council of Europe “an important partner and standard setter for the rule of law, democracy and human rights in Kosovo and I appreciate the technical and legal expertise, support and co-operation that has been provided”. In her view, the HF II proved to be highly relevant, with its multi-layered nature helping improve the functioning of the judiciary, the fight against discrimination, freedom of expression and media freedom in Kosovo.

Luigi Brusa, Head of Co-operation in the European Union Office in Kosovo stressed that: “…the EU Office remains committed to ensuring justice, promoting diversity and equality and freedom of expression and media. The rule of law and protection of fundamental rights are at the foundation of a healthy society. Strengthening the justice system is essential for safety and security of every citizen. Without legal certainty, businesses cannot develop and grow; citizens cannot live safely and secure prosperity for their families”.

According to Delphine Freymann, Head of Division, Office of the Directorate General of Programmes in the Council of Europe, the Horizontal Facility II has continued to show its relevance and added value and has been able to accompany the authorities in Kosovo in dealing with the new challenges faced in the context of the pandemic and  ensure respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. She underlined that, “while this second phase of the programme is a continuation of the previous phase and contributes to ensure sustainability and ownership of the results, it has also shown a clear ability to adapt to the changing situation and needs.”

 

For more information, please contact:  

Dusan Vojnovic, [email protected] , +33 (0)3 90 21 56 99  
Besnik Baka, [email protected] , +355 (0) 69 217 8430

 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

 

 

 

About the Horizontal Facility II Programme in Kosovo

The Horizontal Facility II Joint Programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe was created as a co-operation initiative to assist Beneficiaries in the Western Balkans and Turkey to comply with Council of Europe standards and, where relevant, the European Union acquis in the framework of the enlargement process.   Notable results were achieved during its second year of implementation, despite the effect that COVID-19 pandemic had on the implementation of the activities under the Horizontal Facility II in Kosovo.   In the field of ensuring justice and equal rights, important work was devoted to improve the access and the day-to-day functioning of the justice system, assisting the development of the e-platform that will facilitate electronically the exchange of documents in civil proceedings, avoiding long procedures for the citizens.   In the framework of the work to advance freedom of expression and the media, key contribution is provided in addressing issues related to protection and safety of journalists, with special emphasis on women journalists. During the last year Horizontal Facility II programme has been supporting the process of drafting the Regulation on Media Ownership and Concentration of Audio/Audio-visual Media Service Provider which will lay down the rules on concentration of ownership and prevention of monopoly in the media market, ensure freedom of expression and preserve editorial independence in accordance with the European best practices.   The initiatives in fighting discrimination included the support through Horizontal Facility II small grants scheme, which served as an emergency fund during COVID – 19 and helped communities at risk to overcome the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as LGBTI persons and members of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. Important initiatives were undertaken to raise awareness on COVID-19 risks as well as the dissemination of key sanitarian protection equipment for vulnerable communities.     As part of the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism, the Venice Commission provided important legislative expertise and policy advice in response to requests from the authorities, such as the opinion on public gatherings and on the draft Law on Government.      More information about the Horizontal Facility II Programme