Session 11
Quality Culture in the Enlargement and the ENP-East Countries: How Can Peer Reviews Support Developing a Quality Culture
3 June 2026
16:30 – 18:00
ŠIBENIK II
Presentation title
The peer review of the national statistical system of Armenia and its contribution to the development of a quality culture
This paper describes the experience of the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia (Armstat) in conducting the second Peer Review, its preparation, implementation process, findings, benefits and challenges, as well as the contribution to improving the quality management system and developing a quality culture in the statistical system of Armenia.
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Armenia's quality management system is based on 16 principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP) therefore Peer Review is instrumental for assessing compliance with the CoP principles and indicators and providing subsequent recommendations for further improvement and development of the statistical system. The Peer Review team considered that the Armenian statistical system demonstrates a good level of compliance with the CoP and provided 30 recommendations, with 27 of them focused on improvements going beyond the compliance with the CoP, and three recommendations addressing compliance issues. One of the important findings of the Peer Review was that Armstat demonstrates a strong commitment to quality, embedding it in all its processes and products, which is supported by a robust quality management system based on quality declarations for statistical products, Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM)-based process descriptions, Generic Activity Model for Statistical Organisation (GAMSO) and metadata that comply with the Single Integrated Metadata Structure (SIMS). Furthermore, this paper presents how Armstat has addressed the biggest challenge in the implementation of Peer Review, which was the involvement of other national authorities producing official statistics in the review process by inviting potential other national authorities. The paper discusses the basic principles of quality culture at Armstat, which is the cornerstone of quality management and a fundamental element of Armstat’s daily activities. This paper outlines Armstat's experience in improving its quality culture and shows how Peer Review promotes a quality culture and contributes to its development by stimulating continuous improvement, increasing accountability and transparency, and facilitating collaboration and sharing of experiences.
Anahit Safyan
Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia (Armstat)
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Ms. Anahit Safyan, PhD in Economics, is currently Deputy President of Armstat, responsible for International Statistical Cooperation and Quality Management. She started to work with Statistics Armenia in 1991, first, in the Industry Statistics Division, then in the Summary Work, Information and Analysis Division. She established the International Statistical Co-operation Division in 1994, and was a Head of Division until 2013. She also founded the Quality Management Division in 2016. From 2013 to 2024, she was a Member of the State Council on Statistics. She has been in her current position since 2024.
Presentation title
The recommendations of the peer reviews and their impact on quality management and improvements in the Kosovo Agency of Statistics
This paper examines how the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) has used the recommendations of the 2025 peer review of the Kosovo Statistical System as a structured management instrument to strengthen quality management and embed a sustainable quality culture across the institution and the wider National Statistical System (NSS).
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Conducted in line with the European Statistics Code of Practice, the peer review provided an independent assessment of governance, coordination, resource efficiency, quality assurance, user engagement, and innovation capacity.
As a small enlargement country with limited statistical resources, not all peer review recommendations could be addressed simultaneously. KAS therefore applied a prioritisation approach, selecting key recommendations based on their expected system-wide impact, feasibility, and alignment with strategic objectives. Priority was given to strengthening NSS coordination, systematic quality assurance, process standardisation, and user engagement, as these areas were identified as having the strongest potential to trigger institutional change and support compliance with ESS standards.
Implementation follows a phased and closely monitored approach. Short-term actions have already been implemented or are underway by the time of the conference, while medium-term actions are planned for subsequent phases. Progress is monitored through an internal action plan supported by clearly defined milestones, responsibilities, and performance indicators integrated into KAS strategic and operational planning.
Concrete improvements achieved or initiated include strengthened coordination and visibility of the NSS; enhanced documentation and standardisation of statistical processes based on the Generic Statistical Business Model; the introduction of systematic quality assurance practices; improved metadata and dissemination procedures; reinforced user consultation mechanisms in cooperation with the Statistical Council; expanded access to microdata for research purposes; increased use of administrative data; and closer cooperation with academia.
The KAS experience highlights challenges specific to Kosovo, including limited human resources, evolving institutional coordination, and the need to balance multiple reform initiatives in parallel. At the same time, it demonstrates how peer reviews can serve as a practical management and improvement tool rather than a purely compliance-driven exercise.
This presentation will demonstrate KAS’s experience and concrete progress in implementing peer review recommendations, present early and measurable quality improvements achieved, and share lessons learned that are relevant for other National Statistical Institutes in enlargement and ENP East countries seeking to strengthen quality frameworks and foster a sustainable quality culture.
Ibrahim Rrustemi
Kosovo Agency of Statistics
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Ibrahim Rrustemi is responsible for Policy, Planning, Coordination and Communication at the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS). He leads strategic policy development, institutional planning, coordination across the national statistical system, and stakeholder communication. His work focuses on strengthening quality management and aligning statistical processes with the European Statistics Code of Practice (ES CoP). As national coordinator, he played a central role in the 2025 Peer Review of the Kosovo Statistical System, integrating recommendations into strategic planning, methodological standardization, and quality assurance mechanisms. Mr. Rrustemi represents KAS in international cooperation and Eurostat-led initiatives, sharing Kosovo’s experience in developing sustainable quality frameworks and promoting a culture of continuous improvement in official statistics.
Presentation title
Development of a Quality Management System and a Quality Culture through the Peer Review Process: The Moldovan Experience
The Republic of Moldova is participating in the new round of peer reviews for enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) East countries carried out during 2025–2027, based on an adapted methodology used for the peer reviews conducted in the European Statistical System (ESS).
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This process represents a significant milestone for strengthening quality governance, reinforcing institutional credibility, and fostering a sustainable quality culture across the National Statistical System (NSS).
The paper presents Moldova’s experience in using the peer review process as a catalyst for the development of a comprehensive quality management system and for embedding quality awareness at institutional and system-wide levels. Particular emphasis is placed on the preparation phase, including the self-assessment against the Code of Practice, the involvement of producers of official statistics beyond the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and the internal coordination mechanisms established to ensure ownership and transparency.
The presentation outlines how peer review findings and recommendations have been translated into concrete improvement actions, contributing to clearer quality responsibilities, strengthened coordination within the NSS, enhanced documentation and metadata practices, increased awareness of quality principles among staff and stakeholders. Thus, it is contributing to updating the strategic framework for mid- and long-term development of Moldovan statistics.
The Moldova`s experience illustrates how peer reviews can go beyond compliance assessment and act as a learning process that supports cultural change, strategic and operational-level improvements, and overall alignment with European statistical standards.
By sharing practical lessons learned, challenges encountered, and early impacts observed, the paper will show how peer review recommendations can be effectively used to advance quality management frameworks and foster a quality culture in candidate countries. The Moldovan case provides insights that may be relevant for other enlargement and ENP East countries, as well as for statistical systems seeking to use peer reviews as a strategic tool for quality development in line with EU norms and best practices.
Oleg Cara
Director General, National Bureau of Statistics
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Oleg Cara is the Director General of the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova.
He is a holder of a PhD in Economics’ degree and has a long experience in the field of official and academic statistics. He worked over 25 years in the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of Moldova, and gained also international experience working with the UN FAO Statistics Division. Oleg has been also involved in formation of the new generation of statisticians providing lectures to students of the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova for over 15 years.
He is an elected member of the International Statistical Institute.
Presentation title
How to use the peer review process to increase awareness on quality
The Peer Review exercise in Albania started with the NSS Global Assessment in 2010.
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The latest Peer Review was conducted on 2018 and provided 24 recommendations, accompanied by 54 improvement actions. The structure of recommendations was based on three main piles: Institutional environment, Quality management and Communication. The whole set of improvement actions ensured the enhancement of statistical quality culture in terms of good management, ensuring statistical principles implementation and public trust in official statistics.
This paper explores the development of a sustainable quality culture within Albania’s NSS and reflects the impact of peer reviews recommendations as a catalyst for institutional learning and continuous improvement. A quality culture goes beyond formal procedures and standards; it reflects the sustainability of managerial aspects in planning, following up and reporting, culture change, using best practices, involvement of stakeholders and staff engagement. The paper highlights how external assessments support transparency, accountability, and alignment with the European Statistics Code of Practice. The analysis focuses on the impact of peer review recommendations on improving legal framework, governance, coordination among producers of official statistics, enforcing relations with users and academic world, as well as strengthening of internal quality assurance frameworks. The paper also discusses challenges related to implementation, change management, and resource constraints. It concludes that peer reviews are not only an evaluation mechanism, but a strategic tool for representing NSS vision and challenges to the policymakers for ensuring the appropriate resources for its development, fostering trust, professionalism, and a long-term quality-oriented mindset within the country.
Maldi Dema
INSTAT
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Mr. Maldi Dema, Director of the NSS Coordination, Approximation and Projects Directorate is working in the Institute of Statistics of Albania since 2007, covering tasks that include the statistical regulatory framework, NSS strategic development, planning and reporting and project implementation. In the aspect of Peer Review, Mr. Dema has been the country coordinator for the Global Assessment, Light-Peer Review, Peer Review 2018 and 2026 in Albania and has periodically reported on their progress. Mr. Dema graduated in “Law” and has completed postgraduate studies in the fields of economics and management. Since 2020, Mr. Dema has been elected Deputy Chairman of the INSTAT Board of Directors. Mr. Dema is a member of the UNECE Steering Group for Statistical Legislation and CES Task Force on NSIs toward Data Stewardship. In addition, Mr. Dema is engaged in the European integration processes of Albania for Chapter 18 "Statistics" acquis compliance.
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