Decentralization and Municipal Support (DEMOS) Decentralization and Municipal Support (DEMOS) Helvetas Intercooperation Swiss has presented to Sida a proposal for financial support of  SEK 20 000 000 for the project  "Decentralization and Municipal Support in Kosovo 2018-2021" for the period of 2019-2021. 

Objective of the intervention: "Supporting Kosovo in its transition process towards a democratic, decentralised state in which municipalities exercise socially inclusive governance and provide effective services responding to citizens’ priorities and needs".

In this project Swiss Development Cooperation and Government of Kosovo (GoK) respectively Ministry of Local Government Administration (MLGA)  contributes financially with CHF 17’650’000 (approximately 161 000 000 SEK). 

Intervention's theory of change: "The financial incentive accompanied by technical assistance, will improve governance processes at the local level, which, together with the improved policy framework, will lead to provision of better services to citizens. The improved service delivery is expected to contribute to the satisfaction of citizens, who in turn will be more willing to pay taxes and further contribute to the financial autonomy of municipalities and an improved social contract with the citizens".  

The main dialogue issues for this contribution will be  anti-corruption, gender and environment. The project will have the Steering Comittee (SC) which will serve as an important platform for raising issues realted to gender equality, improved environmental aspect in the program and anti-corruption. The SC will provide strategic direction and support for the project. Sweden will have an active role as the member to the SC and will have one vote. Helvetas Intercooperation Swiss har till Sida lämnat ett förslag om stöd till projekt "Decentralization and Municipal Support in Kosovo 2018-2021 (DEMOS-II) . Förslaget omfattar 20 000 000 SEK och tidsperiod 2019-2021.

Projektets övergripande mål är att stödja Kosovo i dess utveckling mot en demokratisk, decentraliserad stat inom vilken kommuner kan utöva ett inklusivt styre och erbjuda effektiva samhällstjänster vilka svarar mot innevånarnas prioriteringar och behov.  

Schweiz (Swiss Development Cooperation, SDC)  och Kosovos regering (ministeriet för lokalt styre och administration, MLGA) bidrar till projektet till en omfattning av 17 650 000 CHF (ca 161 000 000 SEK).

Projektets förändringsteori: Projektets  finansiella incitament i samspel med erbjudet tekniskt stöd kommer att leda till förbättrade styrprocesser på lokal nivå vilket, tillsammans med det förstärkta policyramverket, kommer att leda till förbättrade samhällstjänster för Kosovos innevånare. Förbättrade tjänster förväntas leda till en ökad tillfredställelse hos medborgarna, vilket i sin tur kommer att visa ökad villighet att betala skatter och därmed vidare bidra till finansiell autonomi hos kommunerna, och ett förstärkt socialt kontrakt mellan medborgare och stat.

De främsta dialogfrågorna inom denna insats berör anti-korruption, jämställdhet och miljö. Projektets struktur inkluderar en styrgrupp vilken kommer att utgöra en viktig plattform för dialog inom dessa områden. Styrgruppen kommer att bidra med strategisk vägledning och stöd till projektet. Sida kommer att vara en medlem med rösträtt i denna styrgrupp. Project Decentralisation and Municipal Support (Phase II) supports Kosovo in its transition process towards a democratic, decentralised state in which municipalities exercise socially inclusive governance and provide effective services responding to citizens priorities and needs
DEMOS project incentivises and supports the 38 municipalities of Kosovo in achieving more democratic local governance and better municipal management. It also supports the Government of Kosovo in the development of systemic policies, which are more conducive for decentralised governance.
The expected results are clustered in two outcomes:
1. Municipalities improve their democratic governance by increasingly involving citizens in decision-making, acting more transparently and inclusive of marginalized groups, applying sound human and financial management practices;
2. The policy framework is more conducive for decentralised local governance and better implemented at the central and local level.
Main beneficiaries of this project are all 38 municipalities of Kosovo, Ministry of Local Government Administration (MLGA) and  Ministry of Finance (MF).