Many extraordinary sessions, but without effect

Opposition parties, the LDK and Vetevendosje are using extraordinary sessions to send their agendas ahead, while from civil society estimates these sessions are hampering Kosovo's Parliament's regular work.

Vetevendosje Movement MP Albulen Haxhiu tells Kosovo Press that through these hearings they are pushing ahead their agenda and issues they consider important.

It points out that these extraordinary sessions are coming because of government scandals and as opposition, cannot remain silent in front of them.

We with extraordinary sessions are delaying our agenda, issues we consider to be important, and especially these extraordinary sessions are behind government scandals. Obviously, we have to react to extraordinary sessions and we're pushing it in front of our agenda, so, in such circumstances, everyone would require extraordinary choices, because it cannot be continued that way. If you see what the points are that have not been examined and are not voted in the Parliament, there are over 70 points, this has never happened before, there is a total disorder of the work of the Parliament, there is a minority government that is barely standing, so we need the commitment to go to extraordinary elections”, she added.

A number of extraordinary sessions have also been called by the Democratic League of Kosovo. MP Vjosa Osmani, says in many cases they have been forced to call off extraordinary sessions because of not holding plenary sessions.

“We have been forced to call on extraordinary sessions, because at the beginning of this mandate when we were regularly trying to invite parliamentary debates or interpretation, despite the fact that the regulation determines the term within which parliamentary debate should be held or interference, the headship of the Assembly pushed them indefinitely that has even put us in a position so that when we think that a matter is definitely dealt with in the Assembly, then we can do it with 40 signatures. In our demands that things go into regular procedure, there has never been a consensus, but only a postponement without any rationale”, she said.

MP from Alenaca for the Future of Kosovo Donika Kadaj, for opposition parties, is the mechanism for calling off extraordinary sessions on various issues.

“I've been in the opposition for a long time and I respect the work the opposition did, of course their mechanism is calling hearings, interventions, parliamentary questions. I encourage them to continue and hold Government responsible through sound debates in the Assembly”, she added.

Meanwhile, Artan Murati from the Kosovo Democratic Institute points out that maintaining such a large number of extraordinary sessions hinders the regular work of the Parliament.

And if in principle it's positive to discuss issues that concern citizens, but the MPs themselves, because the Assembly is where these issues should be discussed. However, because of the specifics of the Parliament's work along this legislature, the extraordinary sessions have only slowed the work of the Parliament, have made the most of the plenary sessions without offering any results. We have seen that despite the fact that these extraordinary sessions have been called, there has been discussions by a small number of MPs, because interest has not been great for these important points. However, in most cases the Parliament or MPs have failed to approve any resolution or recommendations stemming from the debates that they have carried out at these extraordinary sessions. This is, in fact, the extraordinary sessions that are being made only by a stream arena and an arena of discussion which at the end of the day is producing no effect”, he said.

During these months, the Parliament has held three solemn sessions -- one for the 11th anniversary of Kosovo's declaration of independence -- one for marking the 21st anniversary of the KLA era and one for the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the massacre in Dubrava Prison.