Role of the Legislature in the Budget Procedure: The Case of Kosovo Assembly

Frequent political-legal changes as well as the form of organization of the government in Kosovo from 1999 until the second part of 2008 have been reflected in the budget procedure. Budget procedure in Kosovo under the administration of United Nations Missions in Kosovo (UNMIK) was a sui generis case alike UNMIK administration itself, where role of the Kosovo Assembly was nothing more than symbolic. With declaration of the independence on 17th February 2008 and promulgation of the Constitution on 8th April 2008 de jure, the role of the Assembly in the budget procedure has been empowered. However, regardless improvements in the constitutional position of the Assembly, a survey of the Assembly of Kosovo revealed many shortcomings that are necessary to be addressed in order to increase the role of the Assembly in the budget procedure. In this direction we shall emphasize increasing of the role of the Assembly in accordance with constitutional authorizations in the budget procedure, increasing of the technical capacities of the Assembly to conduct research and analysis of the budget and undertaking steps on facilitation the communication between MEF-Government-Assembly-the Budget and Finance Committee.