Unlike the past, in modern era, the interaction between the citizen and state institutions has intensified, creating a new dynamic in favor of the citizen. In the earliest stages of social development (with the exception of a short period of Hellenic civilization), this interaction generated continuous obligations for the citizen and rarely for the government. However, later developments, which were a consequence of the French Bourgeois Revolution, changed this interaction by creating more open societies with an empowered role of citizenship, which resulted in their increasing involvement in decision-making processes and the obligation of the government to fulfill the legal rights and interests of citizens.

Citizens interact on a daily basis with local government to fulfill their needs and obligations (issues related to education, infrastructure, various assistance, taxes, etc.), consequently this level of government is closest to the citizens, revealing the true and living nature of the state, beyond abstract concepts. So, through the public services provided to citizens, local government is at the forefront of interaction, representing the very essence of the state. Consequently, all this reciprocal interaction between government and citizens must be developed in an open (transparent) manner, with their involvement, creating mutual trust that paves the way for overall social development. On the contrary, local government does not represent the interests of citizens, it addresses their selective needs, paving the way for negative phenomena such as corruption, illegal embezzlement and general social chaos.

Therefore, the transparency of the work of local government is an integral part of the concept of open and good governance, determining that in societies with advanced democracies the interaction of government with citizens must be comprehensive, accountable and in continuous dialogue and partnership. So, this mutual interaction between local government and citizens must be continuous and not just once every four years during the electoral process.

On the other hand, good governance, as a concept elaborated at the end of the last century, has found rapid implementation at the beginning of the 21^st century, establishing itself as a distinctive element of advanced functional democracies. This concept encompasses participatory, effective, accountable governance based on the rule of law. In reality, the transparency of government lies at the very core of these basic elements of good governance. Without transparency of government there would be no effective or accountable governance. At the local government level, transparency means proactively informing citizens about decisions that affect the general, but also specific interests of citizens. Consequently, citizens remain informed about the work of local government, the reason for making certain decisions, and the willingness to harmonize these decisions with the expressed will of citizens.

It is precisely this transparency that strengthens the accountability mechanisms of local government, since every action of government representative(s) is filtered by social oversight, anathematizing any misuse of power and developing a democratic culture that encourages the integrity of local government representatives. Therefore, the transparency of local government appears to us as an essential and preventive mechanism for corrupt phenomena, clientelism and various forms of nepotism that can manifest as a result of the interaction of government with various economic and political entities.

In societies in transition, such as Kosova, local government is perceived as politicized, inefficient and completely disconnected from the responsibility to address the needs of citizens. Therefore, building credibility in relation to local government can become a reality through transparency mechanisms that also empower the citizens themselves. From the research conducted in several municipalities of the Mitrovica Region, it emerges that this negative perception of local government is largely built on the past mentality of the communist system where local government has never been challenged for the decisions taken and the relationship between citizens and government is built, to a large extent, on the obligations of citizens and not on their rights. So, in the question regarding the participation of citizens in decision-making and social oversight, the majority of them consider that decision-making at the local government level is a matter of institutions and it is not up to citizens to intervene in these issues. So, it is evident that a part of citizens has a significant deficit of democratic culture and to address this issue, a proactive approach of local government should be used and not only the fulfillment of obligations arising from legal provisions regarding public information and consultation. Civil society also has an important role in this issue, which should be very active in raising citizens’ awareness of their role in democratic systems.

Since the principle of transparency of local government lies at the very core of good governance, open governance establishes this principle even further, beyond the obligation to inform, aiming at the creation of partnerships and co-governance with citizens. In this way, citizens are included in the drafting of local public policies, oversight, and service provision, transforming the principle of transparency into a dynamic and proactive category. Consequently, transparent local government does not treat citizens as passive stakeholders, but as co-governing parties. This is extremely important, especially in municipalities inhabited by ethnic, religious, and cultural minorities, as it enables the identification and addressing of their specific needs and demands.

To achieve this, in the context of Kosova, an evolution of democratic culture is required. Although, in recent years, some progress has been seen in this regard, however, a large part of the citizenry continues to remain uninterested in social oversight of local government and participation in decision-making processes. It is mainly civil society and the media that are most interested in demanding accountability from local government for their decisions, but not the citizen as a natural person or even in the capacity of informal groups.

The implementation of the principle of transparency of local government is also closely related to the application of various innovative mechanisms to ensure open governance. These mechanisms include the citizen complaint system, early notification of developments in society and the possibility of articulating citizens’ needs.

In this regard, the application of digitalization at the local level has significantly contributed to improving the transparency of government and increasing its effectiveness. In this regard, significant progress has been made in Kosovo to keep citizens informed about the decisions implemented by local government. However, considering marginalized groups, who may not have access to municipal electronic systems, local government should not abandon the usual forms of notification and communication with citizens (meetings with citizens, public consultations and community visits).

Despite the usefulness of implementing the principle of transparency at the local level, there are also misconceptions on the part of some local government officials. They are convinced that social oversight and participatory decision-making significantly slow down the decision-making process itself, negatively affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of the work of local government. However, this perception is completely wrong and may affect citizen dissatisfaction, manifesting itself in possible social unrest.

Moreover, transparency in local government should be treated as an investment in good and open governance and in no way as an additional obstacle or burden. In societies with advanced democracies, transparency is the foundation of the credibility and effectiveness of local government, positively influencing the building of citizens’ trust in government. By embedding the principle of transparency in good and open governance, local government ensures democratic legitimacy, sustainability in decision-making and overall social prosperity.

The future of local government lies in a proactive approach: governing with citizens and not for citizens. This important lesson has not yet been fully learned by local government in Kosovo, despite some progress made.

 

This op-ed article was produced within the project “Transparency Talks”, supported by the Kosova Democratic Institute – as part of the co-financing between the projects “Youth and Civil Society for Integrity”, funded by Sweden (Sida), and “Integrity Watch in the Western Balkans and Turkey”, funded by the European Union (EU).

The content and interpretations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of KDI as a sub-grant provider, nor of the donors – Sweden and the EU..