While this Sunday (October 12) the citizens of Kosovo will turn to the ballot boxes to elect new representatives in the local government, the country remains in a political stalemate that has begun since the spring parliamentary elections.
Kosovo is still run by a government on duty with Prime Minister Albin Kurti, while new management structures and the new government have not yet received a confidence.
Against the backdrop of these developments is the issue of electing the President of Kosovo, which is expected to be decisive for institutional and political stability in the coming months.
Professor Rrahman Pacarizi, in a direct connection to the show “Good Morning Albania”, describes the campaign for local elections as quiet, clear and qualitative.
“We have had a more prolonged campaign than usual, but which has been characterized by the quality of debate and concrete offers for citizens. Candidates have been serious and fierce political language. This is unusual for such politically tense time.”Pacarizi declares.
However, he adds that the political crisis remains deep.
“Local elections are taking place in a blockade that has not happened before. The delay in the constitution of the institutions is also related to the attempt to find a formula for the election of the President. Without a new president, any government would be temporary and dysfunctional”He adds.
The institutional stalemate and the postponement of key decisions, according to Professor Pacarizi, is also seen as a political tactic to gain time in order to elect the President of the Republic in the spring.
He also stressed that the delay is also related to Kosovo’s fear of American intervention in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue process.
“This delay in the processes has two reasons: they are trying to find the formula to elect the president.
Without the election of the President any government would be temporary. And a government that lasts until March would not be effective government. Anyone who took power would risk entering other processes in relation to the international community and with dialogue with Serbia or implementing agreements with Serbia that constitutes the second reason for delay.
The uncertainty about an eventual American stance, because in Kosovo there is a fear that one day President Trump will call and offer the solution and there is fear of all Kosovo leaders and we are seeing a lack of action either by power or from the opposition to build new institutions.”the professor said.
Beyond internal developments, relations between Kosovo and Albania continue to receive attention. Professor Pacarizi calls these two places “sisters states”, but according to him, they are currently going through a “cold political winter”.
“I think Kosovo and Albania are experiencing winter rightly. It is the result of some political caprices first and foremost by Prime Minister Kurti who cannot accept any kind of superiority or equality.
Kosovo should keep in mind that Albania is a state with a long tradition, with a consolidated diplomacy and is experiencing economic and other development. The interest of the two Kosovo-Albania countries is to have normal cooperation. This cooperation has been properly offered by Albania, although the Prime Minister of Albania may sometimes affect the sedan of any provincial leader of Kosovo. This must not happen, because this is happening for the first time in the relations between Kosovo and Albania.“Paçarizi declares.
