Enhancing Access to Municipal Services for Citizens through E- Governance (XKPRS0001)

Commitment ID

XKPRS0001

Commitment Title

Enhancing Access to Municipal Services for Citizens through E-Governance

Problem

Despite advancements in the municipality's digital governance, access to municipal services across all neighborhoods remains a significant challenge. Most citizens are still required to physically visit municipal offices to access services, leading to inefficiencies, delays, and unnecessary congestion. This issue disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged individuals and those living in remote areas, who face additional financial and logistical burdens to access services. Moreover, a lack of public education and awareness about the availability of online information and guides on platforms such as the municipality's official website and Pristina Online exacerbates the problem. Many citizens are unaware of how to navigate these platforms or find the necessary information about procedures for specific services. As a result, citizens frequently visit municipal offices only to gather information, creating unnecessary crowds and delays, before returning a second time to complete the required procedures.

Status quo

Significant advancements have been made in Pristina 's digital governance, including the introduction of an automated system for obtaining key civil documents. This system, accessible through 16 kiosks across neighborhoods and villages, allows citizens to obtain Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Citizenship Certificates, and Residence Certificates digitally, reducing waiting times from 1-2 hours to just 30 seconds.
However, 85% of requests are still processed by citizens from other municipalities, indicating potential gaps in the availability of similar systems elsewhere. Despite these advancements, several challenges persist. The manual transcription of Municipal Assembly sessions and related committee meetings is increasingly difficult due to the growing number and length of sessions. Delays in transcribing and sharing these materials impact the timeliness of decision-making and the publication of information for citizens.
Additionally, technical issues with the municipal website, hosted by ASHI, hinder the timely publication of Municipal Assembly materials. Problems include poor website functionality, overloaded databases, and difficulties managing voluminous documents, delaying the dissemination of important information to citizens.

Action

The Municipality of Pristina is committed to advancing digital governance by expanding and improving its e-services and municipal operations. A major component of this commitment is the upgrade of 16 e-kiosks to include digital services for obtaining possession sheets and copies of plans, addressing the high demand for these documents. In 2023 alone, 49.29% of the 36,763 cases handled by the Cadastre Directorate were requests for possession sheets and plan copies. By digitalizing this service, the municipality aims to reduce waiting times, increase accessibility, and improve overall efficiency. Additionally, through the eKosova platform, 1,502 possession sheets were downloaded in 2023, generating €6,008 in revenue, demonstrating the potential of digital services.
The municipality is also implementing an AI-powered transcription system for Municipal Assembly sessions, the Committee for Politics and Finance, and other committees. Furthermore, the launch of new municipal websites will include a dedicated module in the Assembly Section for Municipal Assembly Supporting Materials. This feature will notify citizens of session agendas and materials in advance, enabling them to contact their representatives to discuss topics of interest, fostering greater public involvement in decision-making.
The overall objective of this commitment is to enhance transparency, efficiency, and citizen participation by leveraging digital technologies and innovative solutions.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

The decision to advance the eKiosks with possession lists and quickly inform citizens holds strategic and practical importance in addressing key public challenges. By implementing this commitment, services will be improved and more accessible. E-kiosks provide faster, more efficient access to various services, reducing time spent in lines at municipal offices and allowing citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to the city center. This enhances convenience while reducing traffic and administrative burdens.

The commitment also addresses staff workload by enabling personnel to focus on complex cases, while automated systems increase security and transparency, minimizing errors and opportunities for corruption. AI transcription technology ensures greater accuracy and consistency in documenting Municipal Assembly sessions, producing faster and error-free transcripts. This speeds up the availability of information, allowing for advanced analysis and reporting, such as speaker tracking, speech length, and session summaries.

Publishing supporting materials further enhances transparency and trust, allowing citizens, journalists, and researchers to follow and verify decisions. This promotes public participation and accountability, empowering citizens to engage in democratic processes. Expected outcomes include improved service delivery, reduced administrative inefficiencies, increased citizen trust, and better access to timely, accurate information.

What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?

This commitment aligns with the long-term objectives identified in the Strategic Vision for Open Governance by contributing to the improvement and digitalization of public services while ensuring that governance remains open, transparent, and accountable. By advancing eKiosks and implementing AI-powered transcription for municipal sessions, the Municipality of Pristina aims to enhance accessibility, reduce administrative inefficiencies, and provide citizens with faster, more reliable services.

Additionally, these initiatives support broader goals of transparency and public engagement by increasing the availability of accurate, timely information about municipal decisions and activities. The publication of Assembly materials and digitalization of services not only reduce barriers for citizens but also foster trust and accountability by allowing stakeholders to verify processes and hold representatives accountable. This commitment strengthens the municipality’s ability to serve its citizens effectively while promoting inclusive and participatory governance.

Primary Policy Area

Digital Governance, Open Data, Right to Information

Primary Sector

Public Services (general), Science & Technology

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?