Public Administration

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.aab-edu.net/handle/123456789/54

The Economics community showcases scholarly publications and research outputs authored by faculty and researchers in the Faculty of Public Administration. This collection includes journal articles, working papers, conference proceedings, and other academic works that contribute to the understanding of theory, policy, and practice. It aims to promote open access to high-quality economic research conducted within the institution.

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Neutrality of the EU, additional obstacle in the Kosovo EU integration process
(AAB College, 2025-07-14) Rrahmani, Bashkim
Engagement of EU institutions has been different in various aspects in Kosovo compared to engagement these institutions had in the other states of the Balkans. The role of EU institutions has been very important during the first phases of construction and reconstruction of Kosovo after the settlement of international civil administration when the EU had one of the most important pillars of international administration. However, in the process of integrations according to the Stabilization and Association Process, there were created mechanisms which put Kosovo in a different position compared to Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, etc. After the Declaration of Kosovo Independence, five EU member states did not (and still do not) recognize Kosovo independence whereas EU institutions continue to keep the neutral position regarding Kosovo status. These are issues which have slowed down and made it difficult the process of integration of Kosovo, whereas Kosovo is the last state that entered into the contractual relations with the EU institutions. In addition, to Kosovo, there were given additional conditions which were not applied to other Balkan countries. Paper using the combined methodology makes an analysis of intervention of the EU institutions through various phases, including the phase of dissolution of the former Yugoslav federation up to the declaration of Kosovo Independence.
Kosovo Challenges on the EU integration in the field of labor market
(AAB College, 2025-07-14) Rrahmani, Bashkim
Kosovo is a new state in the Balkans that derived from the nonconsensual dissolution of former federation of Yugoslavia. It is the last state created from this process after Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro. The process of creation of Kosovo as a state is different compared to the aforementioned states, among the others due to the position it had within federation, due to the political developments, due to the engagement of the international community, etc. This unique process of creation of the Kosovo state made the process of EU integration unique as well. Criteria and standards for the state of Kosovo in various ways is also different compared to other states created from the process of dissolution of Yugoslavia. The process of EU integration of Kosovo has started whereas Kosovo has to fulfill additional criteria compared to the other states of the Balkans. These criteria have an impact in all developments within Kosovo and in the report between Kosovo and other countries, as well. These criteria also have a big impact in the labor market no matter how Kosovo has managed to harmonize its legislation respecting EU legislation and the community acquis. The paper deals with the challenges Kosovo faces in the process of integration in the field of labor market/law and with the standards and legal infrastructure it has created. Kosovo remains to be the most isolated country in Europe and the isolation appears to be one of the factors that has an impact in the high unemployment rate. Paper aims to stress out that politics should not be top priority agenda for EU and Kosovo Institutions. At the end paper gives some recommendations on how to meet challenges of reducing unemployment rate and reducing poverty in Kosovo.
UNDERSTANDING VOTER BEHAVIOR AND ELECTION DYNAMICS: A CASE STUDY OF THE 2021 LOCAL ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Terziu, Lavdim; Belegu, Besard
A fundamental aspect of “democratic governance is holding free and fair elections” (Felsenthal and Nurmi 2018, 5). Elections without these characteristics may or may not have occurred. However, their relationship to the “government of the people, by the people, and for the people”, as Abraham Lincoln phrased, is questionable (Mieder 2005, 15). Studies indicate that national elections are considered first-order elections, while local institutions are equally crucial for improving a nation‟s quality of life and overall state. This is due to the greater attention given to national elections, which often determine the parliamentary composition and the country‟s leadership. Despite their significance, elections at lower geographical levels are considered second-order elections and have received comparatively less scholarly attention than higher-level elections (Reif and Schmitt 1980). More specifically, elections that result in the formation of national governments are the most significant for the vast majority of voters and political parties (Schakel and Jeffery 2013); in contrast, local elections are regarded as second-order because voter preferences are more strongly influenced by the outcomes of national elections than by local election-related factors. In other words, the assertion is made that voter behavior in local elections, akin to that observed in other second-order domains, is influenced by factors stemming from first-order domains. Conversely, under other circumstances, voters will be more likely to cast a different vote, as they
THE IMPACTS OF PAST TOTALITARIANISM ON THE TRANSITION PROCESS TOWARDS DEMOCRACY IN ALBANIA
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Sallova, Donik
More than 30 years have passed since the creation of one of the wildest totalitarianisms of Eastern Europe, the Albanian one. The Albanian totalitarian regime maintained constant control for almost 50 years in every social activity through terror and propaganda. Today, after a long and not easy transition, the country is still trying to find its way to full democratization. The lack of a functional democracy, the classification as a hybrid regime, as a partially free country and with a lack of active citizens as an institution of democracy are just some of the problems that are present in post-communist Albania and that will be discussed in this paper. The purpose of this paper is to offer a different perspective in the way we look Albania's path towards full democratization based on the influence of the totalitarian regime and the need to strengthen the concept of the active citizen and forms of active volunteering as a way to strengthen democracy, starting from a broader concept, from the citizen. The article provides a theoretical and practical perspective of totalitarian and post-communist period of Albania based on reports, statistical data and classic political studies scholar books.
The denationalization Policy of the International Community in Kosovo
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Sallova, Donik
This paper aims to argue that the international community, especially the UN and the EU, through their missions in Kosovo, have never supported resolving the Kosovo issue in the context of the Albanian issue in the Balkans. International mechanisms have been against the identification of Kosovo as an Albanian national issue, as they have imposed standards, criterias and policies that lead to the alienation of political identification of Kosovo with what is albanian. Through formulas and slogans on multiethnic society, the international community has made it impossible to build and identify Kosovo as an Albanian national state. By stopping Kosovo's identification with the Albanian nation, making it impossible to unite with Albania by imposing exclusively non-Albanian state symbols, promoting the relativization of Serbia's invasive past in Kosovo through the so-called history review process, the international community in Kosovo clearly has implemented denationalization policies that, as a last resort, after denationalization, would have the creation of the so-called new Kosovo national identity. Through qualitative methodological approaches, the paper will review, analyze and interpret constitutional documents, laws and policies in theoretical and historical contexts to witness the denationalization policy of the international community in Kosovo, namely the failure of this policy to construct Kosovo's new national identity.
Review of the legality of the act of bodies of the state administration
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Iliriana, Bajrami
Very important issues in regulating the relationship between central and local government is the administrative review that the Central Government exercises towards the Local Government, which aims to strengthen the ability of local selfgovernment bodies to fulfi ll their responsibilities, to ensure the legality of these bodies and ensure that the rights and interests of citizens are respected. The purpose of this paper is to refl ect the relationship between the Central Government and the Local Government, based on the highest legal act, the Constitution, the Law on Local Self-Government, as well as laws having for comparative reference the standards promoted by the European Charter for Local Self-Government.The paper, is based on offi cial statistical data, by estimating various professional publications, will have a realistic overview of all segments of reports between the Central Government and the Local Government, hoping that the data collected are of signifi cant importance in the activities of legal oversight and of general relations between the Central Government and the Local Government.At the end of the paper, based on the state of refl ection, my recommendations are given, which should contribute to the work and bett er functioning of the relations between the Central Government and the Local Government.With regards to this topic, I have consulted legislation governing this fi eld, I have analyzed and studied many researches and reports published by the Ministry of Local Government Administration, and publications by nongovernmental organizations that follow the issues of Local Governance.Also, I have analyzed all the statistical reports of the MLGA, to illustrate and provide concrete examples of central and local level supervision, according to legal forms and modalities.My engagement on this topic, given my personal status as Senior Offi cial for EU Standards in MLGA, has created advantages in providing offi cial data.
Ethnic decentralization in Kosovo
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Sallova, Donik
The Declaration of Independence of Kosovo on February 17, 2008 was based on the so- called “Ahtisaari package”, prepared by the envoy of the General Secretary of the United Nations, Martti Ahtisaari. The general conditions were related to the democratic and multi-ethnic nature of the state, but particularly they had to do with the granting and guaranteeing the rights of national minorities or minority communities as referred to the document. Among other elements, the proposal presumed that through decentralization of local government and the foundation of new municipalities where minority communities live, to guarantee their self- government as a process of acceptance and integration in the state of Kosovo. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that decentralization and the foundation of new municipalities, especially the Serb community in Kosovo, more than helped with their self-government has led to their disintegration and isolation, deepen even more the separation from the ethnic majority population in Kosovo. The Association of Serb municipalities reached in Brussels on August 2015, demonstrates the tendency of the local Serb municipalities to connect to an autonomous political organisation, as a preliminary phase towards the total boycott of the Kosovo state.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF THE IDENTITY POLICY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN POSTWAR KOSOVO — A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Sallova, Donik
This paper aims to elaborate and analyse the legal context of the identity policy of the international community in post-war Kosovo. Through this policy, the nature of Kosovo was determined as an entity under the UN administration until 2008 and as an independent state after that. Given that NATO’s military intervention in Kosovo was initiated for humanitarian reasons and, therefore, was not an intervention aimed at resolving the historical conflict between Serbs and Albanians, the UN administration in Kosovo was also established by being neutral towards national interpretations on the “issue of Kosovo”. This paper will bring together arguments that the international community, in its approach to the people of Kosovo, has actively tried to establish a new political entity detached from any national projections, thereby preventing it from being perceived as a national victory, especially among the Albanian majority. For this reason, all laws, regulations, governing documents and policies of the UN mission, which delineated Kosovo’s political nature and way of governing, were based on the ‘principle of multi-ethnicity’. This paper also examines the negotiation process for determining Kosovo’s final status, through which independence was conditioned by the commitment to building a state based on the principle of multi-ethnicity.
RELATIONS BETWEEN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN KOSOVO
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Bajrami, Iliriana
This paper represents a model attempt to shed light on institutional relations between two levels of power in the Republic of Kosovo. The wide range of legal acts concerned with the regulation of the reports between Central and Legal Government in Kosovo, comprise a legal system containing complex set of rules which define the share of power, competences and the authority of these two levels. As such, this paper is an attempt to investigate and analyze the complex set of legal and institutional mechanisms referring to relations between these two levels of power. The paper follows a set of approaches and methods such as comparative and analytical method, descriptive, empirical and historical method in order to cover as much aspects and elements of the relations between two levels of power in Kosovo.
THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF CIVIL INITIATIVES IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Bajrami, Iliriana
Local governance is closely related to democracy and provides a central position to the participation of citizens in decision-making, where the perspectives of different authors such as political scientist Robert Dahl emphasized that democracy must offer equal and proper opportunities for citizens’ participation in decision-making (Forrester & Sunar, 2011). The purpose of this paper is to create a fair overview of the real condition of citizens’ involvement in local government decision-making processes, by highlighting the necessity to adapt local government to the real needs of citizens, which facilitates their lives within the municipalities. The review of literature and development of qualitative research was the methodology applied within this study. During the development of this study, surveys were also conducted with citizens and other institutional stakeholders with a key role in local governance. The findings of this paper indicated that municipal bodies have made minimal efforts to inform citizens about their opportunities and raise awareness regarding the importance of activism in decision-making, as substantiated by the questionnaire outcomes. On this occasion, it was also observed that there is a low level of citizens’ inclination to participate in public gatherings aimed at influencing municipal governance activities.
Transparency of the work of local government bodies
(AAB College, 2025-07-15) Iliriana, Bajrami
the spirit and basic principles of local self-government defined by the european charter of local government put the transparency of local government bodies at the center of the focus of municipal bodies. citizens realize most of their rights and responsibilities at the local government level, whose mission is to encourage citizens in decision-making through the publicity of its work, informing citizens about municipal activities and projects, and obtaining opinions. related to municipal priorities. the constitution of the republic of kosovo has directly incorporated the european charter for local government. the purpose of this study is to analyze the level of municipal accountability and transparency for citizens, civil society and all interested parties regarding decisions, strategies, other political documents and actions that directly affect the life of the citizens. for the realization of this study, the comparison method, descriptive legal methods and statistical analysis were mainly used. the results of this research show that although the legal framework for municipal transparency obliges municipalities to promote transparency in the work of municipal bodies, its full practical implementation is lacking. not all municipalities respect the legal requirements when it comes to practical implementation of these obligations. furthermore, the results of the survey with citizens show that they are not adequately informed about the work of the local administration.
Administrative capacity as the main factor of the "Acquis Communautaire"
(AAB College, 2025-07-16) Tërmkolli, Melihate
Administrative capacities constitute a very important component for the functioning of public administration in all countries, especially for those that are in the process of European integration. In this regard, countries are obliged to undertake various political, legislative, organizational and educational measures in order to increase the administration's capacities. Most of the countries that are undergoing the European integration process are developing administrative reforms, with particular emphasis on administrative capacity building in order to meet European criteria and standards for a functional, responsible, effi cient and eff ective administration. To achieve these objectives, the EU has foreseen principles, rules, standards and criteria which are mandatory for each country aiming for EU membership. These objectives are realized through various measures, actions and strategies for the training of the administration in order to achieve approximate results in the implementation of principles, criteria and standards, as in the EU member states, known under the term acquis communautaire.
EXPLORING THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EUROPEAN ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE AND ITS ALIGNMENT WITH GLOBAL GOVERNANCE THROUGH THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
(AAB College, 2025-07-16) Tërmkolli, Melihate
This article focuses on examining the establishment of the European administrative space (EAS) and its compatibility with global governance through the basic principles of good governance. The article identifies how the EAS has been influenced by and forwards the good governance model in an effort to improve governance at the global level. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between the European administrative area and good governance by analyzing the basic principles of good governance and investigating how they are applied in the European context. The research was conducted through a documentary analysis of relevant literature, including official documents of European institutions, research reports, and academic studies. The article reveals that the EAS is an important path towards improving good governance, integrating and implementing some of the basic principles of this form of governance. This article provides an important contribution to the literature on European studies and global governance by examining the relationship between the EAS and the principles of good governance.
Enforceability of International Rule of Law Benchmarks in Legislative Process: The Abrogation of Secondary Legislation in Kosovo
(AAB College, 2025-07-16) Borovci, Mentor
This article examines the enforcement process of the international rule of law benchmarks by the Government of Kosovo through their internalization into domestic legislation. Particular attention is paid to the legal benchmarks established in the Rule of Law Checklist adopted by the Venice Commission, which, among others, provides guidelines on the extent of delegation of the legislative powers from parliament to the government. More specifically, this article presents a legal analysis of legal measures taken by the Government of Kosovo to enforce legal benchmarks of the Rule of Law Checklist of the Venice Commission into domestic legislation. This has been done through the evaluation of compliance with its sub-legal acts with specific laws and abrogation of sub-legal acts that lacked specific legal authorization, and therefore did not comply with rule of law benchmarks. Overall, this article seeks to demonstrate the distinct practical value of the rule of law elements in the development processes, given the indispensable role of stable and predictable legal processes in the functioning of institutions.
The impact of leadership styles on service quality and customer satisfaction: A comparative analysis between foreign and domestic capital banks in Kosovo
(AAB College, 2025-07-16) Buja, Vrullim; Qerimi, Fidan; Behluli, Arberesha
This study measured the impact of leadership styles on service quality and the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction. In addition, it analyzed whether there is a difference in service quality and customer satisfaction between banks by categorizing them by capital types. The quantitative method was used to achieve the objectives. The sample comprised 360 employees of Kosovo banks, where 99 employees were from banks with domestic capital, and 261 were from foreign capital banks. According to the OLS model, the authoritarian style has a more significant impact on the service quality in banks with foreign capital. In contrast, in banks with domestic capital, a transactional style significantly impacts service quality. According to the t-test, there is a statistically significant relationship between consumer satisfaction and banks with foreign and domestic capital, with the greatest consumer satisfaction in banks with foreign capital. However, considering the service quality, the t-test showed a non-significant result, which means that there is no difference in the service quality between the two categories of banks. This paper found that the leadership style has a higher effect on the service quality of the two categories of banks, recommending that banks fill the gap between the style used and the one that affects the service quality best. Banks also received feedback on customer satisfaction to strengthen SERVQUAL model components, improving service quality and increasing customer satisfaction.
CIVIL SERVANTS RECRUITMENT PROCESS IN KOSOVO
(AAB College, 2025-07-17) Ibraimi, Xhemazie
In this study, we will analyze the instantaneous control in the recruitment of civil servants in the Republic of Kosovo. The purpose of the study is to achieve knowledge of the object of study, ie how the procedure of recruitment of civil servants is carried out, which procedures should be implemented until the establishment of employment in the civil service of Kosovo and which bodies are competent to control the legality of administrative acts of state administration bodies in the field of recruitment and establishment of employment of civil servants. Specifically the detailed aspects of the facility, ie how the recruitment is performed, how a labor relationship is established in the civil service of Kosovo, and how the control is applied internal versus the legality of administrative acts of public administration bodies in the field of recruitment of civil servants and by whom. The result of this study is the achievement with the knowledge of the object of study. In this study to achieve or not to confirm the hypotheses raised, we have used descriptive and statistical methods. Primary data are taken from the annual reports of the Ministry of Public Administration on the state of the civil service, the work reports of the Independent Oversight Board for Civil Service, literature, legal acts, and general normative acts governing the field of recruitment in civil service. The conclusion of this study is that the staffs in the civil service are not accepted according to the principle of merit, that the state administration bodies largely respect the deadlines for the establishment of labor relations, that there is no instantaneous control in the field of recruitment of civil servants. Had the proper influence on the heads of state administration institutions to recruit civil servants on the basis of merit.
PRIVATIZATION IN POST-WAR KOSOVO: LEGAL REVIEW
(AAB College, 2025-07-17) Ibraimi, Xhemazie
The main purpose of this paper is to analyze privatization in Kosovo as a complex legal process of redistribution of social wealth to private individuals or certain enterprises. The privatization process in Kosovo cannot be compared with the privatizations of countries in the region due to its economic and political specifics, as a country with economies in transition and high levels of corruption (Borošak, 2018). To study this phenomenon, we will analyze the data published by the complaints received from the Kosovo Trust Agency (KTA) the decisions of the Special Chamber as well as the judgments of the Special Chamber for human rights. Data analysis concludes on descriptive statistics, analysis of domestic laws, and regulations of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), reports from the World Bank, processed cases, and Special Chamber court decisions on privatizations. The study concludes that the process of privatization of socially owned property has caused conflicts between the descendants as property owners before their confiscation, privatization has further destroyed the country’s economic development rather than improving the well-being and lives of its citizens. This paper is of great importance for policy makers, officials, scholars as the processing, publication of data, and sanctioning will enable this phenomenon that has become a new way of enrichment to be stopped and the state to be built for society and to belong to society.
KOSOVO REQUEST FOR RECOGNITION AND SLOVAKIA
(AAB College, 2025-07-17) Rrahmani, Bashkim
Slovakia is one of the five EU member states that has still not recognized Kosovo as an independent state whereas Kosovo is one of the eight units of Yugoslav federation. Seven units of the former federation became independent states deriving from the nonconsensual process of dissolution of the federation. Kosovo declared its independence on February 17, 2008 and ever since it has been recognized by more than 100 states. Republic of Slovakia still has not shown clear indications that it is going to very soon recognize the state of Kosovo. Even though there are certain activities developed that could be considered as something leading towards de facto recognition. However Republic of Slovakia was active in and the Western Balkans is a focus of its foreign policy and thus it is expected that the attitudes of Slovakia will change in favor of recognition. Reasons of non recognition of Kosovo as an independent state are different whereas they may be divided into two groups: not proper lobby activities in requiring recognition from Kosovo institutions in one hand, and a public discourse still not in favor in Slovakia, on the other hand. Paper aims to explain why such a situation from both sides and perspectives is faced and what are the causers along with recommendations that lead towards potential recognition of Kosovo from the Republic of Slovakia.
Minority Rights in Kosovo
(AAB College, 2025-07-17) Rrahmani, Bashkim
Among many national minorities in Kosovo, there is one that is more protected and that enjoys more rights compared to the others. According to the Kosovo Constitution, The Republic of Kosovo is a multi-ethnic society consisting of Albanian and other Communities, governed democratically with full respect for the rule of law through its legislative, executive and judicial institutions. Based on this definition Kosovo is multi-ethnic which is composed of many communities but in practice one ethnic community is more equal compared to the others. It as an ethnic community appears to be the biggest obstacle for the future developments in Kosovo. The attitudes of this ethnic community for the state of Kosovo determines the Kosovo inner developments; it determines the relationships between Kosovo and Serbia and it could have some impact in the entire region of the Balkans. Using the combined methodology with method of historical analysis, method of legal analysis, method of comparison analysis, method of systemic analysis, the author will describe and explain the position of national communities known as minorities with the specific emphasis on the position of Serbian Minority in Kosovo according to the Kosovo legal system and the international law.
CIVIL SOCIETY AND DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT IN KOSOVO
(AAB College, 2025-07-17) Rrahmani, Bashkim
The paper analyses the most fundamental aspects of civil society development in Kosovo and its impact in the overall democracy development. Author aims to develop after presenting a short history of development of this important sector, to develop a discussion from the praxis perspectives, to combine the discussion from the practice in the field, explaining how the sector evolved in post war Kosovo, which were the phases of its development and the role the donors played in its creation. This will be done by using combined methodology: method of systemic analysis, method of historical analysis, method of comparison, method of legal analysis, etc. Finally, paper will come out with the conclusions and the recommendations that are expected to be useful for both academia and the civil society sector.