The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Prishtina Office

The office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Prishtina was set up in the difficult political circumstances of the years 1999 and 2000. After the NATO intervention in spring 1999, the United Nations Resolution 1244 authorised an international civil and military presence in Kosovo. Local democratic structures were meant to be established on a step by step basis. With its experience, the FES in Prishtina is contributing to this process of strengthening democracy and good governance in Kosovo.

Founded officially in June 2000, the Prishtina Office had to cope with considerable challenges, such as the contrasting views of the main ethnic groups concerning Kosovo’s political status. One of FES’s major aims has therefore always been to ensure active participation of all ethnic groups in Kosovo in order to establish a democratic system.

Since day one, the Prishtina Office was committed to strengthening civil society organisations by working with partners from government institutions, trade unions and employers’ organisations, research institutes and the media. Its mandate being political education and consultancy, the Prishtina Office organises conferences, provides a platform for discussion and supports political research in order to create a vibrant democratic society and develop local democratic structures.

After the declaration of independence on 17th February 2008, Kosovo is still facing notable economic and social challenges: the performance of Kosovo\'s rule of law institutions is still poor, the economic situation remains difficult and democratic structures and processes are still too weak.

Today, the office of the FES in Prishtina is active in

• Promoting democracy and enabling the active participation of civil society
• Supporting decentralisation and local government
• Promoting a socially just and sustainable economic development and strengthening labour relations
• Supporting regional and international integration