FOL Movement met the Mayor of Gjilan Municipality, Mr. Lutfi Haziri about the transparency in Public Procurement

Gjilan, 16th January 2014 – Regarding the initiative to discuss transparency of local governments, FOL Movement oday met the Mayor of Gjilan Mr. Haziri. In this meeting was discussed about the possibility of cooperation between the Municipality of Gjilan and FOL Movement and particularly about the possibility of monitoring the public procurement processes in Gjilan Municipality.

Petrit Zogaj from FOL Movement said that monitoring of public procurement processes intends to increase the level of transparency and accountability in this sector, because through this mechanism is spent a large amount of the public money. Petrit Zogaj also said that “monitoring will impact to prevent misuse, mismanagement and corruption in this sector and will serve in respecting the law and procedures in procurement processes. In addition, he stressed that public communication office should be opened and active and improve citizens’ access to public documents”.

Whereas the Mayor of Gjilan, Mr. Haziri expressed his willingness as mayor about the possibilities of cooperation. He further stated that “the cooperation with civil society is a municipal interest, as mayor I have asked the procurement office to create committees of citizens who will participate in monitoring of procurement procedures in the municipality of Gjilan”.

At the meeting was also discussed about the process of Kosovo’s membership in international organization Open Government Partnership, where Mayor Haziri said that it was a very important membership of Kosovo in this organization, this would help Kosovo in establishing an open government. This process, according to the attendees of the meeting will also affect the implementation of electronic procurement which would affect the efficiency of the procurement sector and prevent misuses and mismanagement in this sector by increasing transparency.

At the end of the meeting both sides agreed that in a short time they will sign a Memorandum of Understanding in order to monitor public procurement procedures in Gjilan Municipality in accordance with this memorandum.

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