The National Audit Office (NAO) has begun the performance audit process on the efficiency of institutions for the protection, development and restoration of forest areas in Kosovo, which is part of the Annual Audit Plan for the period 2024/2025. This audit aims to assess the measures and actions of institutions for the conservation and sustainable use of forest assets, which represent one of the country's most valuable natural resources.

According to the NAO, the scope of this audit is the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, the Kosovo Forestry Agency, which operates within this ministry, as well as the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, and the Kosovo Cadastral Agency.

“Forests play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, mitigating climate change and ensuring better conditions for the environment and society. However, challenges such as illegal deforestation, land degradation, lack of monitoring and weak institutional coordination continue to damage these valuable natural resources. The audit will focus on assessing measures to protect forests from illegal logging and unsustainable use of forest resources, the effectiveness of institutions in implementing forest reforestation and regeneration programs, and determining ways for effective cooperation between institutions for managing state forests and those within national parks,” the report states.  

The NAO believes that the conservation and effective management of forests is essential for the environment, the health of the population and the economic development of the country. Various reports show that illegal actions and the lack of strategic planning have caused serious damage to forest ecosystems.