Could there be new choices?

The Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo have not reached an agreement on the ruling coalition prior to the constitutionalisation of the new composition of the Kosovo Parliament, which took place on December 26th and connoisseurs of political developments in the country, have different views if there are still opportunities and options for such an agreement to be reached.

Following the Kosovo Parliament's binding, based on Article 95 of the Constitution, which envisions the form of government election, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci is expected to consult the political party that has won the necessary majority in the assembly, in this case Vetevendosje Movement, propose the candidate assembly for prime minister. From that moment, the 15-day flow of deadline for the formation of the country's new government will begin.

The recogniser of political developments, Armend Muja, says that within the 15-day term since the president's mandate of the candidate for prime minister, the Vetevendosje Movement must present a government that must receive the support of the simple majority in the assembly or 61 deputies.

This is in case there is agreement with LDK. According to earlier assumptions, then the chairman of the assembly, who was elected Thursday, he can only resign and another mayor can be elected. And if there is no agreement, the LDK is promising to vote on the Kurti government and then we can have a minority government, in this case, as has happened in the past in Kosovo, in time, the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the New Kosovo Alliance, a government that is voted on, but there are no sufficient numbers in the assembly. However, these kinds of governments can function, but they have no weight or opportunity to advance their legislative agenda”, Muja says.

He adds that, the Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo can make a deal and the first one to leave for the president's issue and retain the post of Speaker of the Parliament, as well as proceed with the resulting agreement, with 5 ministries for each party.

But, according to him, in any situation, Vjosa Osmani, who is most voted within the LDK, as he says, “will leave the game”.

But, the other connoisseur of political developments, Artan Mujariri, speaking of Radio Free Europe, estimates that Glauk Konjufca's election from the Vetevendosje Movement to the post of Parliament chairman, has greatly complicated the possibility of a coalition of this party with the Democratic League of Kosovo and has changed the framework of talks on the possibilities of reaching a coalition agreement.

According to him, if Kurt loses the support of the LDK, then even granting the opportunity as mandated to establish the government on the part of the president would only be formal.

It will not make the 61 votes needed to establish Government. I think that the offer of (LDK leader Isa) Mustaf, to vote on a Vetevendosje government where I will not participate, is more a formality, because there is no reason for a party to vote on a government that will then be held accountable for the decisions of that government. Nor would Kurt convene such a government, because it could fall at any moment”, Mujadir points out.

But, based on the circumstances created, can the country be expected to go back to early parliamentary elections?

Analyst Muja does not believe such an option, at least not immediately. According to him, after the assembly's establishment, the government's first priority will be to advance its 2020 budget proposal.

“Without budget, the government closes on 28 February 2020 and has no money either to pay salaries or to organise elections. There's only money for public debt service. For this reason, it is not in principle possible to organise elections without a budget reconciliation for 2020. In any situation, in order to go to the elections, a government must first be created, even bad, to vote on the law and then, if they are to agree, still go to elections in the future”, Muja says.

However, the opinion is expressed by analyst Muhaxire. According to him, if there is no eventual agreement between Vetevendosje and LDK, which, as he says, is little or very reliable that can be reached, then the country must go to the polls.

I think that the new elections are the most real option to get out of this blockade, because any other option would continue political agony in Kosovo”, Mujariri says.

Officials of the Democratic League of Kosovo have already warned that after the appointment of Kosovo's Parliament Speaker by the ranks of the Vetevendosje Movement, all preliminary agreements will fail.

They have warned of the possibility of new arrangements regarding responsibilities, as well as the governing programme, but also the possibility of the LDK being passed into opposition.