Mustafa: The President belongs. PDK, we don't mistake Vjosa twice

The clashes for within the ruling coalition in Kosovo are growing and increasing, but despite that, the chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa continues to think that this government is stable. In an exclusive interview following recent domestic developments for SYRI.net KosovoLDK leader Isa Mustafa comes.

He speaks of Thaci's resignation, whether to continue dialogue or not, the establishment of association, Ramush Haradinaj's ambitions for president and the name he will not support for the country's president/her president. Is it about going to extraordinary elections and that it supports building the Dukagjin highway that the LDK rejected? These and many other questions will allow you to read in the following interview.

Eye.net Kosova: How stable is the ruling coalition?

Isa Mustafa: The government is working well. The coalition is at the expense of the parliamentary majority -- a challenge that cannot be ignored and ignored, even though Kosovo has worked past with minority governments.

Eye.net Kosova: Do we have different positions by partners during this time of governance from the first coalition agreement?

Isa Mustafa: Some different opinions have come up along the way, especially with the direction of dialogue with Serbia as well as the Washington Agreement. The AAK's request to run Mr. Haradinaj for the country's president. As far as dialogue is concerned, we have reached understanding, but we have also outlined the need to address more often and jointly the challenges that arise from this process.

Eye.net Kosova: As leader of the party that leads the executive, how much is this government fulfilling all the promises it has made?

Isa Mustafa: The government has managed to face COVIID-19 with good organisation and dynamics; it has turned Kosovo into partnership and co-operation with the EU and the US, as it has identified the areas of intervention to protect the economy from the consequences of pandemic. It's a government that works hard, but lacks the affirmation of the results before the public.

Eye.net Kosova: Much is being said about the possibility of the PDK's entry into the coalition, especially after you've declared that <x0-line red” you have removed them for this party. How willing you are to accept it PDK in government?

Isa Mustafa: I have declared that red lines should be removed from any political subject, not only the PDK. I've been talking about the policies we're supposed to build, not the actions of the audience. I think that Kosovo has entered a very delicate phase, when we have to weigh our minds, co-operate and find solutions, which can even exceed political interests and differences. As the LDK will be open to any solution which is in the interest of the country's stability, just as we are open to elections, unless we find better solutions.

Eye.net Kosova: Now let's talk a little bit about dialogue. Under these circumstances we are currently in, do you consider that we are close or far away from a possible final agreement with Serbia?

Isa Mustafa: To express myself figuratively, we are close to an agreement as far away as we are. We can be closer if we have a powerful U.S. evolution. Serbia makes agreements but does not implement them. The Serbian state has not yet been declared that the comprehensive agreement closes with recognition of Kosovo's independence. Prime Minister Hoti, but the entire Kosovo political spectrum has clearly indicated that dialogue is conducted only for mutual recognition agreements.

Eye.net Kosova: Will Kosovo need to begin drafting (scription) of the Association of Serb-run municipalities?

Isa Mustafa: The association could be founded on the basis of the Constitutional Court's act of judgment. Without executive power and without being the third power, because in Kosovo we have only two levels of power -- the local (local) and central. Kosovo has no intermediate powers. The statue and Association should end up as part of the comprehensive agreement, not before reaching this agreement.

Eye.net Kosova: According to you, representation of Kosovo in the dialogue, should the leaders of parties in the coalition now be included in this era, as there have been demands by Mr. Ramush Haradinaj to be personally part of the dialogue?

Isa Mustafa: The government is running the dialogue, respectively. We have entrusted the government to lead the country, so it must have the confidence to direct the dialogue. This time around, we as political leaders of the ruling coalition parties do not carry certain positions to the Hoti Government.

Eye.net Kosova: Has the Washington agreement fulfilled your expectations that did not bring mutual recognition?

Isa Mustafa: I never expected that in Washington, at a meeting like this, mutual recognition would occur. I don't know what basis anyone would have expected, because the recognition agreement is not only commitment or declaration, but it is a corresponding document that corresponds to all relations, but also the mutual obligations of both states and its guarantors. Economic issues are in the interest of both countries, as must Israel's recognition.

Eye.net Kosova: Should Kosovo still compromise to reach its final goal, or, more precisely, should the <x0-cypher red” decide on certain issues? I'm also referring here to Mr. Lajcak for changing the Constitution, but also the scandalous oath of the Serbian government, which had no statements on the part of the EU?

Isa Mustafa: Kosovo has assigned dialogue frames. There is no dialogue on territory and changing borders, maintains its unitary constitutional character. Independence is non-negotiable. The constitution needs to change Serbia because it continues to cast dust on its citizens that Kosovo is part of Serbia, while none of the Serbian citizens or officials can enter Kosovo without respecting the procedures of an independent country, as is Kosovo.

Eye.net Kosova: What will happen now when AAK is calling for a break in dialogue? You like LDK are pro or against?

Isa Mustafa: I think there's no reason to link the actions of the Special Court to dialogue. Kosovo has reason to maintain very close relations of co-operation and communication with the EU and the US, especially in this situation.

Eye.net Kosova: We return a few current political developments in the country, isolating the most currently required position for leadership, the post of president. How acceptable is Ramush Haradinaj's name from the LDK for president? Should, according to you, this position meet the LDK while also leading the country?

Isa Mustafa: We have not discussed the president's case in the LDK decision-making bodies expressly. We estimate that the country and democracy do well to a slight separation of top state responsibilities. Vetevendosje belongs to the post of Chief Parliamentary/e under the Constitution as a party that has emerged with an MP more than LDK in the 6 October 2019 elections, the LDK has the prime minister and the president's position would meet the party more powerfully in the Parliament. But anything can change with a broad deal, which ensures the active participation of two-thirds of the vote in Parliament and not only the will of the ruling coalition or a part.

Eye.net Kosova: They're talking about big calculations and they're slandering names different than the president's position; one of them is your name, but also some of the PDK. Would you be committed to assume the post of president if you asked for the party, but others?

Isa Mustafa: We have the Prime Minister in this coalition. If in this political and parliamentary establishment we cannot find solutions and end up in general elections as a result of the president's non-election, then we open up other combinations, depending on the outcome of elections and potential coalitions.

Eye.net Kosova: You were among the toughest critics of the mini-Schengen initiated by Vuciqi and supported by Edi Rama, but in Washington, Prime Minister Hoti supported this regional initiative. What changed your attitude so quickly?

Isa Mustafa: It was a Washington insistence. I have not preferred and preferred the Minister for the concept of joint economic space of the Western Balkan countries within the unique European market.

Eye.net Kosova: You have recently expressed criticism of the trend in dialogue with Serbia. Is this the result of an inadequate Hoti leadership in dialogue or what are the reasons for the degradation of dialogue?

Isa Mustafa: Prime Minister Hoti is sticking to the declared platform of dialogue. Serbia is opening new topics, including those that were discussed earlier in the Vienna process, to buy out time and stall dialogue. In Brussels, Serbia participates in dialogue, as they say, for normalising relations, while at the same time in Belgrade the government vows to preserve “Kosovo and Metohija” and the EU as dialogue mediator does not react to such provocations. This approach does not lead to good results.

Eye.net Kosova: The Hoti government came in times of pandemic crisis and still faces it, but also with various challenges and scandals. Treasury theft, robbery of a food agency safe occurred, while a deputy head of your party in Istog, Hakki Rugova, was arrested by police and then placed in house arrest, due to which they reacted sharply even against justice. Soon the prime minister's measures were issued, police Director General and later Customs's were dismissed. You haven't seen anything yet, says Avdullah Hoti. You, as LDK chairman, do you know what we'll see next?

Isa Mustafa: As for Prime Minister Hoti, I strongly believe we will see only legal action. As for my reaction to Mr. Hakki Rugova has been a response against arbitrari and injustice, and by no means against justice. The democratic state does not link people to prison without any legal grounds.

Eye.net Kosova: The law on economic recovery is dragging itself into Commissions and has yet to see the light of approval, while the country appears to have entered the second wave of pandemic with increased cases of COVID-19. Is this Law sufficient for the Kosovo economy and if you can give us an assessment of the 2021 budget, which has again included the Dukagjin highway, even though it was rejected earlier by the LDK, how much will it impact the improvement of Kosovo's economy?

Isa Mustafa: In 2021, Kosovo has no budgetary space to build new highways. I can also make preparations for the Dukagjini Highway, but we need to see how much it costs us, what the opportune cost is and what is the cost-benefit for such investments in the future.

Eye.net Kosova: Are you thinking of Isa Mustafa who will be his successor at the helm of LDK? Do you have any preference, knowing that usually the mayors after the mandate ends, always influence the next successor, even though it is known to be elected with the votes of the party Assembly?

Isa Mustafa: My preference is to make a solution that is accepted equally in Pristina, Prizren, in Dragash, in Han, Elez, in Kamenica, in Podujevo, in Mitrovica, in Gjakova and Yunik...

Eye.net Kosova: Let's change the subject, Special Court. Yesterday, Hashim Thaci resigned from the post of president after the indictment was confirmed against him. How do you see all this development about these charges?

Isa Mustafa: After the establishment of Special Chambers, it has been expected that acts and arrests will follow one day. It has not been known who will be the subject of this court, and now it is not known of other cases. The act of resigning the country's president as a result of the indictment against him and confrontation with justice shows a state culture and respect for justice. The same can be said of Mr. Wessel, Krasniqi and Selimi. It is unfair not today to try those who committed crime and genocide in Kosovo organised population deportation, murder of violations. The KLA acted in defense of the population and citizens who were exposed to the most savage Serbian crimes.

Eye.net Kosova: Do you have contact with Albin Kurt and Vjosa Osmani, how long have you not exchanged messages with each other? One you voted prime minister and dismissed later and the other you ran for prime minister and expelled from the party's organs.

Isa Mustafa: We also ran for prime ministers with good intentions, with such as we also linked the coalition to the VV. It turned out that differences predominated these goals. Good thing it ended in time, like unstable marriage. We don't have much love for contact, but we don't even have hate.

Eye.net Kosova: Would you accept Vjosa Osman as president in case it can be proposed as a concensual name?

Isa Mustafa: No. We'll make a mistake twice.