Prishtina, 19 June 2026
The acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, took part in the ceremony of awarding recognition to distinguished civil servants, organized by the Ministry of Digitalization and Public Administration, on the eve of International Public Service Day, which is marked on 23 June.
In his opening remarks, Acting Prime Minister Kurti emphasized the importance of public service and public servants, emphasizing that the administration is the face of the Republic towards the citizen and the citizen’s experience of the state.
“Often, when we talk about the state, we think of laws and politicians, central buildings, decisions and procedures, budgets and strategies. But the citizen does not encounter the state as an abstract notion. The citizen meets the state through the person who serves him: that is, through the official who listens to him, the teacher who educates him, the doctor and nurse who cares for him, the policeman who maintains order, the inspector who protects safety and quality, as well as the clerk who gives him a fair, clear and timely answer,” he said.
The full speech of the acting Prime Minister Kurti:
Dear Minister of Digitalization and Public Administration, Mr. Lulëzon Jagxhiu,
Dear Head of Cooperation from the European Union Office, Mr. Hubert Perr,
Dear Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Ms. Donika Gërvalla,
Dear Minister of Regional Development, Mr. Rasim Demiri,
Dear Deputy Ministers and Mayors,
Dear Representatives of the Institutions of the Republic,
Dear Civil Servants,
Dear local and international partners,
Ladies and gentleman,
Today we have gathered to mark the Public Service Day. But, above all, we are here to express gratitude for the people who keep our country running every day.
Often, when we talk about the state, we think of laws and politicians, central buildings, decisions and procedures, budgets and strategies. But the citizen does not encounter the state as an abstract notion. The citizen meets the state through the person who serves him: that is, through the official who listens to him, the teacher who educates him, the doctor and nurse who cares for him, the policeman who maintains order, the inspector who protects safety and quality, as well as the clerk who gives him a fair, clear and timely answer.
At that moment, the state is not a theory. The state is a service. Therefore, the administration is the face of the Republic towards the citizen and the citizen’s experience of the state. By the way we listen to the citizen, how we respond to him and how we handle his concern, trust is built in our institutions.
Good governance, transparent and committed to citizens, is not a political slogan. It is our guiding principle. In a democratic Republic, power is not a privilege, but a high responsibility. Leadership that serves does not ask “how much power do I have?” but “what responsibility do I have?” It does not ask “how much do I control?” but “how much do I facilitate?” This is the true meaning of public service.
Reform of the public administration is deeply democratic. It lives every day at the counter, in the office, in the school, in the municipality, in the health center and on the digital platform. Our orientation is clear: public administration should not be an obstacle for the citizen, but a bridge that connects him to the rights and opportunities that belong to him. For years there has been talk of reforms, but we have now moved from a general vision to concrete actions, which are fundamentally transforming this system.
During 2025, we have made advancements in the implementation of the public administration reform. 65% of planned activities have made full or partial progress, while last year alone, 74 new electronic services were developed and published in eKosova, bringing the total number of digital services for citizens and businesses to 320.
We have also made significant advances in recruitment, where technology serves a more transparent and meritocratic process. Meritocracy is no longer just a goal that remains on paper, but an objective mechanism that guarantees fairness and equality in recruitment processes. The professional and honest clerk now has the space and full support to develop and be evaluated based on work and responsibility.
Second, a strong and efficient state is not built with redundant agencies without clear lines of accountability. Therefore, we are undertaking structural reforms to rationalize government institutions so that they can more successfully carry out their mission to citizens and the state. A good example is the government’s newly approved rationalization of cultural heritage institutions, through which 10 institutions are merged into a single one, to establish clearer lines of accountability and increased institutional efficiency.
The transformation of the state is not measured only by laws and reforms, but also by the experience that the citizen has when seeking a service. For this reason, we have advanced the eKosova platform, we have significantly expanded electronic services, we have launched the model of integrated services according to life events, we have simplified many services and procedures and we are implementing the concept of integrated service centers. These are concrete steps towards an administration that saves the citizen’s time, reduces the bureaucratic burden and makes the state closer to the people.
Today I want to thank in particular those public servants whose work is not always seen in the foreground. Those who work behind documents, behind systems, behind reports, and behind big decisions. Those who do not appear in the photographs, but without whom no process of this state would function. Your work has extraordinary value. Your dedication is of great importance. The Republic recognizes you and thanks you.
Dear public servants,
You are the ones who make the state tangible for the citizen. You are the ones who transform law into service, strategy into implementation, and public policy into practical results. Let us continue to build, together, an administration that does not fear change, but leads it instead. An administration that does not see the citizen as a party, but as the very reason for its existence. Because a good state is not the one that has the most procedures, but the one that has more justice, more service, and more trust.
Happy Public Service Day!
Thank you for the invitation and attention!
