Crisis, crime, Special Court, Kosovo joins 2020 without government

Kosovo in the second half of 2019 was without functional institutions, since the resignation of Ramush Haradinaj from the prime minister post, after the latter was invited to interview as suspected by the Special Court for War Crimes.

The end of 2019 and the transition in 2020, Kosovo is finding it without government, although extraordinary elections were held on October 6th. The two political parties that won the most votes -- the Vetevendosje Movement that emerged the first party and the Democratic League of Kosovo -- though briefly harmonised the government programme, they are failing to agree on the division of key posts, and the country is already risking a political and institutional crisis.

Three times Kosovo President Hashim Thaci invited Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti to discuss and mandate him for government creation, but the latter is not going to the meeting, as analysts Kurti have said has yet to secure the necessary majority of MPs to form the government.

Based on the Kosovo Constitution, “the president of the Republic proposes the candidate for prime minister, in consultation with the political party that has won the necessary majority in the UN”, in this case Vetevendosje.

Last invitation

The president made the last invitation to Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti by December 30th. But Kurti in official response told the president that those “could meet on January 06th of next year”. This was confirmed in 2020, Kosovo finds Kosovo without government, even though five days ago the Kosovo Assembly was constitutionalised where the chairman and head of the Assembly was elected.

And this situation where the Speaker of the Assembly was elected Vetevendosje representative Glauk Konjufca complicated the V talks. V-LDK. According to LDK officials, who had not agreed in advance with Vetevendosje for the head of the Assembly, turned all talks on the ruling coalition to zero. So says the deputy chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo.

All preliminary discussions have been rejected. The situation has now changed and all should be discussed within the negotiating table with the winning party”, says Lutfi Haziri.

International authorities in Kosovo continue to call on Kosovo politics to sit down and form the government. The ambassador of the United States of America to Kosovo, Philip Costnet, met with Vetevendosje Movement leader Albin Kurti and the chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo on Monday, Isa Mustafa, as “was told to be informed about the performance of negotiations aimed at a possible ruling coalition”.

Diplomatic Commitment

The British Embassy in Kosovo also called on the Vetevendosje and LDK Movement to overcome differences and form the government. Through a media communique, the British Embassy says that after more than 12 weeks since the October 6th elections, Kosovo needs a new Government, and this is an urgent issue.

“More than 12 weeks since the 6 October elections, Kosovo needs a new government. Emergency issues such as budget, education and blocked administrative decisions must be addressed. Both Vetevendosje and LDK, which have clearly won the elections, must work together to overcome differences between them and form the government that will address the most priority issues of the people of Kosovo”, the British Embassy statement said.

This embassy further says respect for voters and the Constitution means the will to work sincerely together.

“They must do so in the spirit of tolerance, accepting their different approaches to governance. Respect for voters and the Constitution means the will to work sincerely together to show the country that they can offer leadership for change”, said at the end of the announcement.

Establishment of institutions and government has been demanding during Germany's recent visits, Peter Beyer and Christian Schmidt.

All politicians understand the importance of their post-election responsibility to establish stable government. They know time is running out, so successful negotiations are still needed. We don't want to interfere with these negotiations, because it's not in our mandate, but we're here to listen and share some messages. The coalition negotiations should not be lost in technical details. We feel there is political will to form the government for the benefit of citizens. No one should try to weaken the other, but to have professional approach”, Peter Beyer said.

While Christian Schmidt made it known that they would inform Chancellor Merkel of developments in Kosovo, because “is interested in what's happening here”.

It's not meant to create a love marriage. To illustrate this, a German federal president when asked if he loved the country, he said he loved his wife. There is a golden rule for a real coalition. If coalition talks are under way, the rule is the phone, not the microphone and the media. We shouldn't talk until we see white smoke”, Christian Schmidt said, citing a sentence of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohln, the political “must have confidence and responsibility”.

New Year's Challenges

The year 2020 finds Kosovo without government and without coalition agreement. While the challenges awaiting the country are too big.

Some of these challenges have reminded Kosovo authorities of even the chief of the EU office in Kosovo, Natalia Apostolova, in an editorial for the end of the year. And the biggest challenge from the international perspective is dialogue with Serbia and normalising reports among these countries.

The ongoing diaog with Serbia is in the interest of Kosovo. The sooner the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia occurs, the sooner Kosovo will be able to move forward in all directions”, writes Apostolova.

It also requires that the Kosovo government be formed as soon as possible in order to persuade member states to make the decision on visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens.

“As far as visa liberalisation is concerned, a decisive decision must now be made by the European Union states, because Kosovo has met all the required conditions. I hope Kosovo authorities work closely and convince EU countries that now is the time for Kosovo to liberalise visas”, writes Natalia Apostolova.

Visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens has been promised several times by Kosovo political leaders. That hasn't happened yet, but according to German Bundestag deputy Peter Bayer, who was ten days ago visiting Kosovo, it could happen during 2020, though he does not prefer to give dates like the Kosovo political class.