%0 PDF %T Decentralization and Human Security in Kosovo: Prospects of Local Government Reform for Promoting Democracy, Development, and Conflict Mitigation %A Burke, Shannon %8 2007-10-03 %I Tufts Archival Research Center %R http://localhost/files/n009wd09b %X Submitted in partial fulfillment of the degree Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Abstract: Five years after war ravaged the former Yugoslav territory of Kosova/Kosovo, decentralization has emerged as a promising strategy for addressing key challenges to democracy, development, and sustainable peace in the troubled province. The principle of decentralization enjoys widespread support from both of Kosovo's major ethnic groups the Albanians and the Serbs as well as the international community that has been administering the province since the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) intervened to halt Serb ethnic cleansing of the Albanian population in 1999. However, each of these groups has distinct ideas concerning the purpose of decentralization and how the process should be carried out. This paper will examine the current decentralization debate in Kosovo and analyze the extent to which the proposals put forth by the Council of Europe (CoE), the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) and the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), and the Serbian government would would promote human security in the province. This paper begins with an overview of Kosovo's present demographic composition. Chapter 2 outlines the major demographic trends affecting the province during the war and the post-conflict period and discusses how these trends have influenced the current decentralization debate. It also provides background on the evolution of local government in Kosovo over the past five years through outlining key UNMIK Regulations and their implications for local governing institutions. Lastly, it examines the origins of the major decentralization proposals currently under consideration. Local government reform has the potential to bolster human security through improving democratic representation in Kosovo. A well-designed decentralization strategy could achieve this goal through bringing institutions of local government closer to the people and increasing their authority and accountability. Chapter 3 begins with a discussion of the current status of democracy in Kosovo. It traces the progress that has been made over the past five years towards the important goal of laying a foundation for sustainable democracy in the province. It then describes the decentralization strategies proposed in the CoE recommendations, the Prishtina/Pristina Plan endorsed by UNMIK and the PISG, and the Belgrade Plan devised by the Serbian government. It considers the critical issues of how many local government units would be created according to each of these decentralization strategies, how the boundaries of these units would be determined, and how these units would be governed. It also analyzes the implications of each decentralization plan for enhancing democratic representation throughout Kosovo. In addition to promoting representative democracy, decentralization can bolster human security in Kosovo through improving its level of development and the quality of its public services. Chapter 4 provides an overview of the standard of living in contemporary Kosovo, using information gleaned from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Kosovo Human Development Report 2004. Kosovans have the lowest level of development in the Balkans, as measured by the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI). Poverty and unemployment are pervasive, particularly in rural areas. Moreover, many Kosovans lack access to such basic services as education, health care, and water and sanitation. This situation is exacerbated by confused lines of accountability that make it difficult for Kosovans to determine who is responsible for providing which services. Nevertheless, the population remains confident that local government reform would improve public services and foster development in the province. The chapter then evaluates the CoE, UNMIK/PISG, and Serbian government decentralization plans in terms of their prospects for advancing development in Kosovo. It describes which responsibilities would be devolved to local governing units under each plan, and how these proposed arrangements would affect the quality of services and level of development in the province. In addition to affecting democratic representation, service provision, and development levels, decentralization has the potential to strengthen human security through supporting peace and stability in Kosovo. Local government reform is closely linked to the sensitive ethnic issues at the core of the Kosovo conflict. The plans proposed by the CoE, UNMIK/PISG, and Serbian government would have radically different implications for Kosovo's ethnic composition. Depending on which plan is selected and how the chosen plan is implemented, decentralization could mitigate ethnic tensions and foster stability in Kosovo by giving minority communities greater autonomy and more channels to promote their interests without resorting to violence. However, decentralization also risks hardening existing ethnic divisions and undermining stability, both within Kosovo and throughout the Balkan region. Chapter 5 evaluates the decentralization strategies proposed by the CoE, UNMIK/PISG, and the Serbian government in terms of their potential to alleviate the ethnic tensions in Kosovo. It recognizes that local government reform will only succeed in the province if it obtains support from minority communities in general, and the influential Serb community in particular. To this end, it analyzes the extent to which each of the aforementioned proposals would safeguard minority rights and provide minority groups with channels to advance their interests, as well as how acceptable each proposal would be to minority communities; especially the Serbs. It also considers the possible impact of decentralization in Kosovo on the delicate ethnic balance in Serbia, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The paper concludes by discussing recent developments in the decentralization debate, including approval of a pilot municipality proposal. It evaluates the implications of this proposal and suggests strategies to ensure that the final decentralization plan for Kosovo meets European Charter standards and can be sold to both the Albanian opposition and the Serb community. %G eng %[ 2022-10-14 %9 text %~ Tufts Digital Library %W Institution