Cross sector meeting held in Prishtina on 14 December 2016
Based on the planned activities of the project “Increasing capacities and strengthening the role of regional CSOs for improving labour conditions and labour dialogue with public institutions”, implemented by the BALcanOSH network, it was held cross sector meeting on 14 December 2016, in Pristina.
The purpose of the meeting was to:
- Identify needs, shortcomings and problems of civil society organizations and media involvement and policy in society, building partnerships between them in decision-making, encourage dialogue to enhance cooperation between regional organizations and institutions for social inclusion and improving working conditions, establishment of cooperation and establishment of regional partnership between BALcanOSH.Net network of civil society organizations (NGOs) in the IPA region, to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, skills and connections, growth and expansion of their influence in the campaign, representation in operational strategic plans, policies at national and regional levels, as well as raising public awareness of the importance of professional practices, social and civic organizations. Invited to the meeting were representatives of trade unions, media representatives and other associations which in the future will certainly handle the activities of OSH.
The meeting was attended by the following organizations:
- Trade Union Independent Confederation of Kosovo, Media representatives led by Association of journalists – Kosovo and other associations, which in the future will deal with the activities of the safety and health at work.
At the meeting attended Mr. Milan Petkovski, the Project Manager and also the president of MOSHA, who presented the activities of the project and sector scope of this meeting.
Meeting was greeted by the President of KOSHA Mr. Fatmir Saracini, who briefly inform about the importance of this project and in particular of the sector meeting.
Prof.dr. Shaqiri had short presentation on the role of workers’ representatives for safety and health at work and the role of Trade Unions in this field.
Participants in the early discussion directed at assessing the current situation of the safety and health of employees in Kosovo, actual needs for improving the current situation, in particular regarding capacity-building information and the implementation of the Law on Safety and Health at Work.
Main interest at the meeting was the role of Trade Unions representative of their field on safety and health at work, in particular the feasibility of the Law provisions governing the rights and obligations of representatives of workers’ insurance and health at work . General opinion of the majority was that these provisions do not apply in general, so the self -criticism was obvious among the participants.
There was also some criticism of the social partner (Government) which bypass and disregard certain activities, namely bailing out their proposals, which they would advance the rights of employees which will progress and promote OSH.
They showed interest for the experience from the Countries from the region regarding Trade Union, especially those involved in the project. The participants emphasized that cross-cutting activities are very important because they describe the characteristics and differences of cultures between Balkan countries.
Representatives of media, give strong support to this project, pledging that all the activities of this project will give their contribution to training, where inter-sector facilitates help in exchange of knowledge, skills and links with countries in the region to improve quality of information to the field of safety and health at work.
Media representatives also brought out respectively problems faced in today’s media exposure in particular of journalists situation, dangerous for their life. In this regard, the media representatives asked a greater legal support from the state, where the normative acts to regulate it
Indicator 1. The conclusions of the meetings were;
- Strengthen cooperation between regional and national CSOs, familiarization with the project partners, activities and procedures for implementation of project. Expansion of Kosovo OSH network and strengthened of KOSHA capacities for implementation of IPA projects. Great interest from stakeholders to participate in the meeting.
Indicator 2. The conclusions of the meetings were;
- Identification of needs, shortcomings and problems of civil society organizations, trade union organizations and media. Encouraging dialogue to enhance cooperation between regional organizations and public institutions for social inclusion and improve of working conditions according to European practices. In Kosovo the media does not pay attention to Occupational Safety and Health they represents and sometimes misrepresents OSH problems.
At this stage of implementation, the project had good achievements which reflected at the very good cooperation between regional and national CSOs, familiarization with the project partners, activities and procedures for implementation of project, expansion of Kosovar OSH network and strengthened of KOSHA capacities for implementation of IPA projects. Through developed meetings and activities, are identified needs, shortcomings and problems of civil society organizations, trade unions organizations and media. The channels of communication between all stakeholders are established and it is started dialogue for enhance cooperation between regional organizations and public institutions for social inclusion and improve of working conditions.
