April 2017—In recent years, a number of Kosovo’s local governments have improved services to their citizens as part of efforts to achieve efficient municipal administrations. However, despite improved civil registration services, the municipalities of Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Pejë/Peć and Štrpce/Shtërpcë, struggled to cope with increased requests for vital records, such as birth and marriage certificates and proof of residence.

Many members of minority communities, as well as returnees displaced by the 1998-1999 conflict, who are reintegrating into these municipalities, need documentation to collect social aid and pensions, and most importantly, to claim property rights.

USAID, through its Advancing Kosovo Together program, signed partnership agreements with the municipalities to implement their capacity development plans and ultimately help them increase administrative efficiency. The agreements included installation of a total of five e-kiosks between March and June 2016. The innovative e-kiosks enable citizens to efficiently obtain necessary documents round-the-clock.

“In my opinion, obtaining vital records has become so much easier now since we don’t need to stand in a line, and it takes only a minute to get the necessary document. Instructions are very clear and the service is easy to use,” explains Shaban Beka, a resident of Vushtrri/Vučitrn.

USAID also provided tutorials on e-kiosk use for municipal officials and community representatives to promote awareness of this new service. In less than a year, some 7,500 requests have been processed through the e-kiosks in these three municipalities.

“Our citizens are able to obtain various types of civil registration documents after regular working hours, and this opportunity will also reduce queues inside the municipal civil administration office while improving the quality of service provided by our municipality,” said Bekim Selmani, chief of the civil administration office in Vushtrri/Vučitrn.

USAID's Advancing Kosovo Together program, which runs from April 2014 through April 2017, aims to increase constructive interethnic cooperation and interaction between Kosovo’s majority and minority populations, which is vital to the security and stability of the region.

Over 14,000 people have participated in activities to address social needs, unemployment and municipal service improvement in 16 municipalities. Some 24,000 people have benefitted from nearly 50 projects.

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