LDK chairman tough race warned

As loud as it is in demand for elections, the LDK does not plan to call any quick election process within the party.

Political analysts predict a tougher electoral race within this political subject, while LDK officials are waiting for the process to take place according to the party calendar.

Elections for the party's chairman and governing bodies are expected to be held in May of next year.

So say leaders of the largest opposition party, according to which there is a good co-ordination of leaders, and that it is not necessary for these elections to be held earlier than in advance times.

The deputy chairman of this party, Lutfi Haziri, told Radio Free Europe that there is no reason for this process to be accelerated.

“The LDK has the chairman, Isa Mustafa, who, in co-ordination with the vice-chairs, is functioning very well. The LDK has the electoral calendar, which begins in May and until then does not think of someone who has internal elections. Traditionally, the LDK has respected the election deadlines and calendar”, Lutfi Haziri said.

Like Deputy Chairman Haziri, the party's deputy, Ismet Beqiri, agrees.

He for Radio Free Europe says everything is functioning according to the plan in their party, adding that very soon they will announce the exact date of domestic elections.

According to him, their main focus is to shorten this Government's life and then hold elections within the party.

What I can actually say is that party organs, all of them, function without any problems. Likewise, party chairman Mr Mustafa is doing his job despite some restrictions he still has. LDK chairmanship, branch chiefs and all party forums function normally. In time, however, the LDK will take a position even on time, or date, the eventual appointment of the party election date”, says Ismet Beqiri.

In January of this year, former Kosovo Prime Minister and LDK chairman Isa Mustafa had been sent to Germany for healing, as there were health complications. Mustafa continues to lead the LDK, but according to predictions, health reasons may push him not to re-negotiate for the post, thus opening up the possibility for new candidacys.

Political analyst Artan Mujaziri says internal elections in LDK are necessary.

For Radio Free Europe, Muhhaxhiri says that given the health situation of President Isa Mustafa, the LDK is currently operating without chairman.

Because of the state of health of President Mustafa, the Democratic League of Kosovo is obliged to find another way of functioning because, as it currently is, de jure has the mayor, but there is no fact of it”, Muhramiri says.

Lutfi Haziri, Vjosa Osmani and Podujevo chairman Agim Veliu, according to Artan Mujazir, are potential names that could replace current chairman Isa Mustafa.

According to him, the race will even be tough, after being president of the party offers other privileges.

I do not expect that it will be an easy race, rather, I think hardening language and positions will increase as the date of elections approaches because the LDK is in very good electoral position, and the winner of the LDK chairman race has guaranteed an important post. In fact, the post of party chairman means the post of potential candidate for prime minister”, says political analyst Artan Muhhaxhiri.

LDK MP Ismet Beqiri says it is still early to talk about any concrete name for who would receive the party leadership.

Of course, in the opinion there were some why not even ambitions expressed by some of the LDK members, even higher structures, but others, but we've taken it as very normal to have an eventual claim, but consider it still early”, Beqiri says.

The LDK is known as the party trying to inherit the political spirit of its leader and founder, Ibrahim Rugova. Following Rugova's death, the post of LDK chairman had won Fatmir Sejdiu, succeeding by Isa Mustafa.