KOSOVAR CENTRe FOR SECURITY STUDIES NEWSLETTER JANUARY - JUNE 2015 ABOUT KCSS KCSS was established on 17 April 2008 as the first security-related institute (think tank) in Kosovo Nowadays, KCSS main activities are: The development of various quantitative and qualitative research; Monitoring the performance of the security institutions; Advocating different policy-making; Organizing a number of conferences, seminars and deliver platforms for capacity building and mentoring; Contributing to the policy and lawmaking processes; Presenting at the regional and international based academic and professional forums; Opinion making in the local and regional media on the security issues; Providing alternative expertise on various issues related to the security sector; Within the period of six years, KCSS has successfully managed to cover almost all security-related issues in the country, by launching more than 50 publications. Newsletter Content PAGE 1: About KCSS PAGE 2: Publications PAGE 3: Representation PAGE 5: Events PAGE 5: Visits PAGE 6: Additional Information Tel.: +381 (0) 38 221 420 Sylejman Vokshi, Block B, Entry II, No. 1 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo E-mail: info@qkss.org Website: www.qkss.org KOSOVAR CENTRe FOR SECURITY STUDIES (KCSS) NEWSLETTER JANUARY - JUNE 2015 1
KCSS PUBLICATIONS JANUARY - JUNE 2015 January, 2015 - Kosovo Security Barometer Special Edition: Public Perceptions on Kosovo s Foreign Policy and Political Dialogue with Serbia January, 2015 - Kosovo Security Barometer Special Edition: Public Perceptions on Personal Data Protection March, 2015 - Security Vetting April, 2015 - Report inquiring into the causes and consequences of Kosovo citizens involvement as foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq April, 2015 - The Future of Civil Protection in North Kosovo May, 2015 - Destination NATO: Kosovo s Alternatives towards NATO Membership TO BE PUBLISHED July, 2015 - Public perception in Kosovo on the Kosovo Police July, 2015 - Regional Emergency Management between Albania, Kosovo and Serbia August, 2015 -Special Edition of Barometer: Trends on trust toward Security and Justice Institutions in Kosovo (Period: 2012 2014) September, 2015 - Development and Mandate of Private Security Companies in Western Balkans: the Case of Kosovo September, 2015 - Police Cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia October, 2015 - Report on the Kosovo Police integrity October, 2015 - Monitoring of the Public Procurement in Kosovo s Security Sector October, 2015 - Illegal Migration: A stress test for readmission procedures - practical and institutional KCSS Contribution and Representation January, 2015 KCSS Executive Director, Florian Qehaja was in a Research Visit at Centre for Southeast European Studies (CSEES) in Graz, Austria. January, 2015 KCSS Senior Researcher and Secretary, Mentor Vrajolli has attended the regional conference: Citizenship and Human Security organized from Helsinki Committee in Istanbul, Turkey. January, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Donika Emini has attended the workshop on: Evolving Concepts of Security organized as part of the European FP7 funded EvoCS project, in Sofia, Bulgaria. January, 2015 KCSS research team composed by Skender Perteshi and Donika Emini has participated in the workshop: Improving EU Policy Making - Monitoring European Integration Effectively in Durrës, Albania. 2 KOSOVAR CENTre FOR SECURITY STUDIES (KCSS) NEWSLETTER JANUARY - JUNE 2015
February, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Sofije Kryeziu participated at the consultation event for the Global Study on Implementation of SCR 1325 organized by the United Nations and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN) in Tirana, Albania. February, 2015 KCSS Executive Director, Florian Qehaja attended the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism which was held in Washington DC, USA. February, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Plator Avdiu has attended the research programme of the Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD) titled: Professional Work Exchange for Enhanced Policy Dialogue Program at the Group 484 in Belgrade, Serbia. February, 2015 KCSS Researchers, Skënder Perteshi and Plator Avdiu presented findings at the first conference in behalf of POINTPULSE Project: Police Integrity in the Western Balkans in Belgrade, Serbia. February, 2015 KCSS Executive Director, Florian Qehaja along with a group of representatives from civil society attended the Meeting with the President of Kosovo, Mrs. Jahjaga. This meeting was organized by the Institute for Political Studies Prishtina (PIPS) March, 2015 KCSS Executive Director, Florian Qehaja attended the conference organized by the Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS) and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) with the theme: Filling the Black Hole: Bringing Kosovo into international police cooperation organizations. March, 2015 KCSS under the patronage of the Islamic Community and sponsorship from the US Embassy in Prishtina have facilitated Lectures: Islam religion of peace with preacher from Georgetown University, YAHYA N.HENDY. March, 2015 KCSS team consisted of Donika Emini and Shpend Kursani participated in a Conference organized by the Rotary Club Kosovo. March, 2015 KCSS team attended the conference: Serbia Kosovo: What Role for Civil Society in Normalizing Relations? in Belgrade, Serbia. March, 2015 KCSS in partnership with NDI in the framework of the Week of Women organized a panel discussion on the topic: Women in Security Sector. April, 2015 The Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) in conjunction with KCSS organised a roundtable on: Security Vetting and Information Classification. April, 2015 KCSS Researchers, Skënder Perteshi and Plator Avdiu participated at workshop of the POINTPULSE project regarding: Police integrity and anti-corruption policies in the Police of four regional countries, namely Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sofia, Bulgaria. April, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Donika Emini participated in a roundtable discussion entitled Empowering the Role of Women in the Security Sector. This event was organized by the Kosovo Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA Kosovo), in the framework of the NATO Week. April, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Donika Emini has attended the seminar on: Local Democracy in the Western Balkans organized as part of the RegionalAcademy for Democracy: Building Democratic Institutions. The conference took place in Opatija, Croatia. KOSOVAR CENTRe FOR SECURITY STUDIES (KCSS) NEWSLETTER JANUARY - JUNE 2015 3
April, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Donika Emini has attended the first workshop in Prishtina, organized in the framework of the TRAIN program, as a part of three foreseen activities in the framework of this program planned to be held in Berlin and Brussels. May, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Donika Emini has attended the first workshop of the project entitled: Civil Democratic Development (Civil De-De) - Training program on Capacity Building of NGOs Working on Corruption, Organized Crime and Illegal Migration, in Skopje, Macedonia. June, 2015 KCSS Senior Researcher and Secretary, Mentor Vrajolli has attended the Countering Foreign Terrorist Fighter (FTF) Recruitment Workshop: Counter-Messaging and the Role of Disillusioned Former Fighters which is taking place in Abu Dhabi, UAE. June, 2015 KCSS External Senior Researcher, Abit Hoxha has participated in the Advanced Research Forum to discuss about: Best practices and lessons learned in Conflict Management: NATO, OSCE, EU and Civil Society in Bratislava, Republic of Slovakia. June, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Skender Perteshi has attended the International Conference organized by Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) in Ankara, Turkey. June, 2015 KCSS team has compiled a Parliamentary Research to comment on the draft law on Identity Cards. June, 2015 KCSS team has compiled a Parliamentary Research regarding the Draft Law on Weapons. June,2015 KCSS team has attended on the daylong Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN) meeting organized by European Peace building Liaison Office (EPLO) in Brussels on: Strategic Review of EULEX Kosovo: Assessing progress towards the end state of the Mission. June, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Sofije Kryeziu has attended the 10th Summer School for Young Professionals on the Challenges of Global Security Environment, in Republic of Slovakia. June, 2015 KCSS Researcher, Donika Emini has attended the second workshop organized in the framework of the TRAIN program (Think Tanks providing Research and Advice through Interaction and Networking) in Berlin, Germany. 4 KOSOVAR CENTre FOR SECURITY STUDIES (KCSS) NEWSLETTER JANUARY - JUNE 2015
KCSS Events & Joint Events January, 2015 Conference: Special Edition of KSB: Public Perceptions towards Foreign Policy and Dialogue with Serbia March, 2015 Week of Women 2015: Women in Security Sector April, 2015 Roundtable: Best practices of vetting system April, 2015 Conference: Report inquiring into the causes and consequences of Kosovo citizens involvement as foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq April, 2015 Workshop: Private Security Companies in the Western Balkans April, 2015 Joint regional Conference: Security Research Forum: Prishtina Belgrade Tirana: Civil Protection and Regional Emergency Management May, 2015 Conference: Police Integrity in the Western Balkans May, 2015 Roundtable: KCSS report into Kosovo citizens involvement as foreign fighters in Middle East May, 2015 Salon: What drives Kosovars to fight in the name of Islam? May, 2015 Conference: Destination NATO: Kosovo s Alternatives towards NATO Membership VISITS IN KCSS February, 2015 KCSS hosted a meeting with the delegation of Ulcinj Municipality, composed by Deputy Mayor of Ulcinj, and representatives from the local office of European Integration under supervision of Ulcinj Municipality. February, 2015 KCSS for a period of three weeks has hosted two researchers from Belgrade Center for Security Policy as part of Balkan Trust for Democracy Professional Work Exchange for Enhanced Policy Dialogue Program. March, 2015 KCSS has hosted a delegation with representatives of civil society and organizations, university lecturer and journalists from the Republic of Cyprus. March, 2015 KCSS for a period of two weeks has hosted researcher from Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) Tirana, as part of the Security Research Forum Belgrade-Prishtina-Tirana. KOSOVAR CENTRe FOR SECURITY STUDIES (KCSS) NEWSLETTER JANUARY - JUNE 2015 5
KCSS STAFF Florian Qehaja: Executive Director Mentor Vrajolli: Senior Researcher/Secretary Skender Perteshi: Researcher Sofije Kryeziu: Researcher/Project Coordinator Donika Emini: Researcher Plator Avdiu: Researcher Tringa Naka: Communications Officer Përparim Kryeziu: Research Assistant Endrit Bytyqi: Intern Galdim Ajeti: Intern Luciana Ribeiro Fadon Vicente: Intern Donika Marku: Intern Caleb Lovell: Intern Shpend Kursani: External Senior Researcher Abit Hoxha: External Senior Researcher Robert Muharremi: External Senior Researcher ADDITIONAL INFORMATION From 1st of July, KCSS has officially launched the new logo. HOW TO KNOW WHAT S HAPPENING AT KCSS? For detailed and more information on the recent publications please do visit the KCSS website, like us on our social networks. Website: Facebook: Twitter: Linkedin: Google+: YouTube: Academia: www.qkss.org https://www.facebook.com/qkss.kcss; https://www.facebook.com/groups/kcss.qkss/ @KCSSQKSS 6 KOSOVAR CENTre FOR SECURITY STUDIES (KCSS) NEWSLETTER JANUARY - JUNE 2015