Dear Minister of Finance, Labor, and Transfers, Mr. Murati,

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) [1] respectfully requests that the Draft Law on Budget Allocations for the Budget of the Republic of Kosovo for 2025 be subjected to a public consultation process, as stipulated by Regulation No. 17/2024 on the Work of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. This regulation emphasizes the importance of public engagement for transparency and accountability, ensuring that citizens are informed and actively participate in the decision-making process concerning the budget.

Citizens have a fundamental right to understand how their tax money will be utilized and to contribute to setting priorities for public expenditures that address the diverse needs of society. The process of public consultation prior to government approval of the budget is essential to guarantee that the allocation of public resources reflects the interests of all citizens, including both women and men, and promotes gender equality.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance, Labor, and Transfers (MFPT) should publish a Gender Budget Statement (GBS) and the relevant annexes to facilitate gender-responsive budgeting. The GBS is crucial for advancing gender equality within the budget by explicitly outlining how resources are planned to address the needs of women and girls. Kosovo has committed to gender-responsive budgeting through the Law on Gender Equality. Publishing the GBS would align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which Kosovo has pledged to fulfill, and with Kosovo’s interest in implementing frameworks such as the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework, which highlights the importance of gender-responsive public financial management (Supplementary Framework for the Evaluation of Gender Responsive Public Finance Management). To date, these documents have not been published on the government websites, as required by SDG Indicator 5.c.1. Publishing the GBS and the relevant annexes would demonstrate how the budget supports gender equality and ensure public access to clear and comprehensive budget information.

Therefore, KWN urges the MFPT and the Government of Kosovo to take immediate action to initiate a public consultation process on the Annual Budget for 2025 before its approval by the government in October. This public consultation should be inclusive and transparent, involving civil society organizations, women’s groups, and the general public to ensure that the budget reflects the priorities and needs of all citizens.

In this regard, KWN calls on the Government of Kosovo, particularly the MFPT, to:

• Immediately launch a public consultation process for the 2025 Annual Budget.
• Publish a Gender Budget Statement, clearly showing how the budget contributes to advancing gender equality.
• Publish all gender budget annexes transparently online.

We believe that these measures will significantly enhance the budget process, transparency, and the advancement of gender equality.

Sincerely,

Igballe Rogova

Executive Director

Kosovo Women’s Network