Dialogue does not take place without Thaci and LDK

On July 18th, Thaci, however, will not be alone in Brussels, because he is expected to be accompanied by Parliament Speaker Kadri Veselini, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and other officials, including Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli and Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj. But at the meeting with Vucinqi, Thaci will sit alone again.

President Thaci, and specifically the parties of the ruling coalition, are very angry with the Democratic League of Kosovo, which at the time of power was part of the dialogue, while now by the opposition, rejects any involvement.

The ongoing trend is that in the next team, neither the LDK, which has been part of all the negotiations so far with Serbia, will remain behind. But also, for the process to lead President Thaci, who has consistently been the head of political negotiations with Serbia.

President Thaci is in an effort to establish a comprehensive team for the latest phase of talks with Serbia, but currently he is not finding the support of the opposition.

Politologist Ramush Tahiri told Radio Free Europe that beyond disputes, the political factor in Kosovo must understand that a political consensus and compromise are needed to continue the process.

If there are disagreements between the ruling coalition partners and the opposition, then compromise solutions should be found and, as it were, the agreement. Someone else could be appointed to lead the talks, but this should be done in the Kosovo Assembly”, Tahiri said.

It was the head of the Kosovo Assembly, which is also the president of the Democratic Party, Kadri Wessel, who rebuked the LDK for anger and the fact that it itself is not in power, is blocking all processes, including dialogue.

“Today we have a blockade for more hate reasons. We're gonna be late for three or four months to be pissed off with our partners so we can prove ourselves helpless and then say we're together. The opposition must now join this convoy. When we were together we won more, but really this beautiful position in spite of LDK is damaging Kosovo”, Veselin points out.

But, Wessel's accusing statements, the LDK does not get too close to heart. This political party, according to Parliamentary Group chief Avdullah Hoti, engages in dialogue if Kosovo pre-elections and forms new institutions. He is convinced that these institutions have no legitimacy to lead with dialogue, much more so when the Government has lost most in the Assembly, while the president, according to the LDK, has no mandate to lead with dialogue.

The “in principle, the LDK stands as a party to dialogue, because it is the only way to resolve the issues, but dialogue must be conducted by institutions that are legitimate. At the moment there are no legitimate institutions that can lead with these important processes, so we have made it clear that as soon as we go to elections and produce legitimate institutions, it is better for the country”, Hoti said.

When it comes to the legitimacy of Kosovo's representation in institutions, politicalologist Ramush Tahiri says that if there is really no legitimacy, then the option may be elections. But, in any case, he says the final word about any agreement that can be reached with Serbia should say the Kosovo Assembly.

“Every dialogue, agreement signed and does not pass to the Assembly or there is no credibility it is a bullshit dialogue, because it cannot be implemented”, Tahiri said.

During the week, President Thaci said he alone cannot take over the burden of dialogue, while reminding the LDK and the opposition that the process cannot be blocked.

“No one will be able to complete this process alone, but no one alone will be able to block it, or veto this extremely important process”, Thaci said.

Thaci's idea of a classic negotiating team, as in Vienna's process, is not much preferred either for Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj. He has given full support to Thaci to lead the dialogue, but believes Kosovo institutions are the ones that should take responsibility. Meanwhile, by the opposition, more expects to be included in the debate and internal consensus, which will be necessary for ratification of the agreement that can be reached with Serbia.

“From the consultations I have had the opportunity to do, I think it is a better climate now, so Kosovo is represented by the institutions of the country, which the president is led with the Constitutions and by function, and also parliamentary political parties are necessary, so even the LDK, PSD and Vetevendosje”, says Haradinaj.

As disagreements continue, the other opposition subject, the Social Democrat Party, led by Shpend Ahmeti, has initiated calling an extraordinary session for Monday where it would be discussed about dialogue, before President Thaci travels to Brussels, where political dialogue with counterpart from Serbia is expected Wednesday, Aleksandar Vuciq.

Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia has started since 2011. According to the European Union at the end of this process, the two countries must reach an agreement on normalisation of reports, which, in addition, leads the two countries towards European integration. / REL/