Mission Statement
ECMI Kosovo advances majority-minority relations through the protection and promotion of minority communities and their interests, with the overarching aim to develop inclusive, representative, community-sensitive institutions that support a stable multi-ethnic Kosovo.
ECMI Kosovo contributes to the developing, strengthening and implementation of relevant legislation and best practices in governance and supports the institutionalisation of communities-related governmental bodies, while it enhances the capacity of community representatives from civil society, political parties and the government to engage with one another in a constructive and sustainable way.
Approach
ECMI Kosovo engages in action-oriented projects that aimed at stabilising interethnic relations in the transition period in Kosovo and supporting the government in generating effective practices in majority-minority relations. Working closely with the Kosovo authorities, minority stake-holders and international agencies, ECMI has had a significant role in developing minority rights and community policy over the past decade. ECMI Kosovo now focuses on stabilising the transition to independence in Kosovo and on ensuring that commitments to minorities will be implemented in a sustained and effective way. |
ECMI Kosovo offers substantive competence in relation to human and minority rights issues, decentralisation, policy-making and programming on minority issues, and the inclusion of minorities in political decision-making processes. At present, ECMI is engaged in supporting:
- The establishment and operation of the Kosovo Community Consultative Council
- Capacity building and support for minority representative organisations
- Building up the capacity of the Office of the Prime Minister to engage in effective programming and cross-governmental coordination on community issues, including the delivery of specific targets
- Implementation of decentralisation in minority-sensitive areas
- Strengthening the capacity of Kosovo governmental and non-governmental actors to deliver and monitor compliance with human rights instruments, and to fulfil international reporting requirements in this respect
ECMI is accepted by minority representatives, the Kosovo government and international actors as a key cooperation partner
Background
The European Centre for Minority Issues Kosovo (ECMI Kosovo) became active in 2001 as a field office of the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI), located in Flensburg, Germany. ECMI was created in 1996 by the Governments of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany and the German State of Schleswig-Holstein and established in Flensburg, at the heart of the Danish-German border region, in order to draw from the encouraging example of peaceful coexistence between minorities and majorities achieved there.
ECMI Kosovo initially engaged in projects supporting minority communities and civil society organisations. Since 2004, the organisation expanded its support to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, initially supporting the Standards Implementation Process. This included assisting the Government to adopt and draft five key pieces of legislation. During the status negotiation process, ECMI Kosovo assisted members of minority communities to formulate their views and advocate for their inclusion in the decision-making process. After the introduction UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s Comprehensive Proposal for the Final Status of Kosovo (Ahtisaari Plan) in 2007, ECMI Kosovo participated in the drafting of key minority rights legislation, including the Law on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Communities and their Members, Law on the Use of Languages and the ‘Rights and Interests of Communities’ section of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. With Kosovo’s independence in February 2008, ECMI Kosovo has engaged in the building of institutions, as well as the providing of technical support, for the effective implementation of these laws.
In July 2008, ECMI Kosovo became a locally registered non-profit organisation, functioning as an independent field office of ECMI. ECMI Kosovo is the only local organisation dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of minority rights in Kosovo, with strong relations with Government and community representatives. At the same time, ECMI Kosovo maintains cooperation with ECMI, benefiting from international oversight, specialised expertise and comparative experiences. This special relationship with ECMI enhances ECMI Kosovo’s projects, allowing a unique flexibility and fusion of local and international approaches. |
