Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), for the third year in a row, published the Balkan Barometer, an annual survey of business and public opinion in Balkan counties: Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia. 8000 citizens and 1600 companies have been involved in this edition.

Balkan Barometer 2017 provides data gathered and examined across a host of thematic areas and presents the current perception of aspirations and expectations of the population and the business community of South East Europe on life, labor market, socio-economic and political trends as well as European integration.

Among measured indicators, the Balkan Barometer 2017 points out also the assessment of the trustworthiness of public institutions and the perception as per their independence.

On question raised on how trustworthy the listed institutions are (Courts and Judiciary, the Parliament, the Government, the Ombudsperson, the Supreme Audit Institution), for the purpose of the survey, 59% of Kosovo respondents expressed their trustworthiness on the Ombudsperson Institution, the fact which ranks this institution in the highest level compared with institutions listed in the country and in the region, for which, less than half of the population have expressed their trust. (see Balkan Barometer 2017/ Public Opinion Survey, pp. 124-125).

Furthermore, the respondents from Kosovo have apparently expressed more trust on the political independence of the Ombudsperson Institution (ibid p. 126).

Additionally, the trustworthiness of respondents from Kosovo was remarkably higher with regard to Government’s effective investigation and making it accountable towards its citizens (Ibid, p. 129).

European integration and EU membership by 90% of the Kosovo Population is seen as very positive issue. Additionally, Kosovo is ranked the highest in terms of the importance of Roma integration, regional cooperation and EU accession.

While, by comparing findings of this survey with those of the previous year, the Barometer points out that while the survey conducted in 2016 disclosed the fact that 62% of respondents from Kosovo awaits EU membership by 2020, the 2017 survey displays noticeable decline of expectations – only 37% of respondents awaits EU membership by 2020.

Among nine issues which have served to measure the display of gender inequality, respondents from Kosovo have ranked violence against women and the very small number of women involved in politics, in the highest level.

Corruption, unemployment and the economic situation are the main problems with which population in Kosovo face was pointed out by Kosovo respondents.

Otherwise, Barometer states that there is an economic recovery in some of the major economies of the region, but unemployment generally remains worrying problem as well as unveils increasing concern over corruption. While with regard to economic performance, the Barometer exposes an optimistic opinion for the future.

In general, related to the main findings in countries of South-East Europe, the Barometer states that respondents’ expectations exceed satisfaction with the current situation and sets apart the continuity of meaningful optimism in Kosovo.

Balkan Barometer 2017, containing above given as well as other data, can be found in the web page of Regional Cooperation Council (RCC): http://www.rcc.int/seeds/files/RCC_BalkanBarometer_PublicOpinion_2017.pdf