When will we be able to register vehicles online?

Author: Kreshnik Gashi

An electronic device which costs no more than 7 thousand Euro has proven to be a solution for many long queues of citizens.

E-kiosks located in Kosovo municipalities have shown success as they present solutions for long queues for birth certificates and civil status certificates.

An analysis by the GAP Institute shows that by the end of 2019 only 20 municipalities had installed the equipment while the situation has not improved in the following years.

The performance report of the Ministry of Local Government Administration shows that less than 10 municipalities manage to provide online services to citizens while others are waiting for the development of platforms and investments in infrastructure.

“We have lagged a bit in getting services online, but it remains an obligation in the future to make these services functional”, says the mayor of Dragash, Shaban Shabani. Dragash is among the municipalities where online services are not provided to citizens.

Obtaining online services is problematic in other municipalities as well, while in the next year’s budget it is foreseen that money will be invested to provide the E-kiosk service only in Hani i Elezit.

According to the budget projection in this municipality, it is foreseen to spend about 10 thousand Euro to provide the E-kiosk digital services, while no investments are foreseen in this area in other municipalities.

The new Mayor of Prishtina, Përparim Rama, promised investments in technology in the capital city for the digitalization of health services.

The data from the draft budget law for 2022, show that investments in E-kiosks are foreseen only in the municipality of Hani i Elezit.

10 thousand Euro are expected to be spent this year to purchase equipment which is expected to be installed in this municipality.

The analysis of the draft budget shows that very few investments in digitalization are foreseen.

The health register is one of the main stagnations apostrophized for a long time as deficiencies in the country. Doctors fail to register patients in a database and in the absence of this they fail to see the doctor data.

The Ministry of Health still does not have a clear plan as to how the complete digitalization of the health system will be implemented. The data show that even the budget does not provide funds to support this process.

Besim Kodra from the Patients’ Association says that the lack of this system has created systematic problems in the country’s health system.

“Doctors fail to follow at any time what is the diagnosis and problems of patients”, Kodra says.

Other data show that dozens of other services in Kosovo need to be digitalized.

The process of obtaining documents at the Civil Registration Agency still remains in physical applications.

Issuance of identity cards, passports as well as vehicle registration is a process that is carried out in the form of physical application.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs says that this process cannot be further digitalized due to the need for citizens to be photographed.

“The work process currently being carried out is quite digitalized and effective. This process cannot be further digitalized at the moment because when applying the citizen must be photographed and must sign in person upon receipt of the document. The citizen is informed the document is ready by sending an SMS or email, informing him/her that the document is ready and that it is in the relevant center to be withdrawn”, it is said in the response from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Another process pending digitalization is the vehicle registration and the procedures that accompany the registration process.

In the pandemic, hundreds of citizens were imaged waiting in front of the MIA offices to register vehicles.

The process is expected to be digitalized over the next year. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it is expected that the process of continuing the vehicle registration will be digitalized during 2022, including the way of making online payment through the state portal E-Kosova, and in this case, the citizen will need to attend the Vehicle Registration Center just to stamp the vehicle registration document.

“In 2022, the realization of the municipal fees through the E-kiosk, necessary for the vehicle registration, will be analyzed. Also, during 2022, it is expected that the process of booking certain license plates online will be digitalized”, it is said in the response of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Kosovo is among the countries where 96% of citizens have internet access, and such a high internet penetration is expected to serve to further digitalize the country’s administration.

*This research article is prepared as part of the project “Increasing Civic Engagement in the Digital Agenda — ICEDA” financially supported by the European Union, and co-funded by the DEMOS project supported by: Swiss Cooperation Office Kosovo, Sweden Sverige, Norwegian Embassy, and Helvetas Kosovo.

*The contents of this research article are the sole responsibility of Open Data Kosovo and of the author, and may in no way be taken to reflect the views of the proponents of this activity.