Dukaj at KosovaPAR 2026: We Are Developing a Citizen-Centred Public Administration

“Citizens must not be messengers between state institutions; public administration must serve citizens, not obstruct them in exercising their rights,” said Minister of Public Administration Marash Dukaj, MSc, at the ministerial panel “Public Administration – People, Trust and Digitalisation: What Public Value Should Public Administration Create?”, held as part of the Fourth International Conference on Public Administration, “KosovaPAR 2026,” in Pristina. Speaking about improving public administration, Minister Dukaj stressed that institutions must take responsibility for obtaining data already held by the state, instead of requiring citizens to collect documents themselves and carry them from one counter to another. “We must also measure success differently—by how much procedures are shortened and how satisfied citizens are,” Dukaj said, emphasising that Montenegro, as the country that has progressed furthest in negotiations with the European Union, is developing an administration focused on citizens’ needs. Addressing the role of public administration employees, the minister stressed that high-quality institutions depend on professional, competent and motivated civil servants, with recruitment and promotion based on knowledge, results and transparent procedures. In this context, he highlighted the importance of the Western Balkans Regional Cyber Capacity Development Centre (WB3C), headquartered in Podgorica, which, in cooperation with the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA), contributes to strengthening professional capacities and training public officials from across the region. The ministerial panel brought together ministers responsible for public administration from the Western Balkans and the wider region to exchange experiences and views on the future directions of public administration reform, strengthening institutional trust and applying digital solutions in the delivery of public services.