Pristina, November 11, 2026 – The Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj, convened representatives from the municipalities of Gjakova, Malisheva, and Rahovec to discuss the extent to which his recommendations from 2024–2026 have been implemented. The roundtable was organized in cooperation with the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

In his opening remarks, the Ombudsperson expressed his pleasure at meeting—on several occasions during his tenure—with representatives from various levels of the municipalities in the Gjakova region to discuss issues of concern to the citizens of these municipalities.

He noted his satisfaction with the cooperation between local institutions and the Office of the Ombudsperson, while calling for greater commitment to further intensify this collaboration at higher levels.

However, Mr. Qelaj added that local public authorities need to give greater consideration to the Ombudsperson’s recommendations and ensure timely responses to his requests.

The representative of the OSCE Regional Centre in Peja, Ms. Yulia Safranova stated that bringing together representatives from both local and central levels helps improve communication, clarify responsibilities, and strengthen coordination at the local and regional levels. She added that such meetings are particularly important in cases where the protection of rights depends not only on legal standards but also on their effective implementation in practice.

An overview was presented regarding the implementation of recommendations for the Gjakova region, covering the years 2024 and 2025; no recommendations were identified for the year 2026 for this region.

For the 2024–2025 period, the Ombudsperson issued 7 reports containing recommendations for the Gjakova region, totaling 45 recommendations addressed to public authorities. These recommendations cover various categories of constitutional rights—based on citizens’ complaints—including the rights of children, the rights of persons with disabilities, environmental issues, and others. Representatives of the respective municipalities valued this meeting, highlighting the strengthening of cooperation with the Office of the Ombudsperson—a step essential for improving good administration and public services, thereby contributing to increased public trust.

The Office of the Ombudsperson will also hold roundtables in other regions to discuss the importance of implementing recommendations and to foster inter-institutional cooperation for better governance.