Will become part of Hoti Government, PDK speak

But in the last days, The PDK, which on July 13th in the Kosovo Assembly, has also supported the adoption in principle of the Bill for Conforming the Law on Budget Divisions, has frequently and toughened criticism of the government of Prime Minister Hoti, especially on the issue of restarting dialogue with Serbia.

PDK officials say this party is making its rightful, opposition role. But, connoisseur of political developments, they consider that full criticism at the address of the Government of Kosovo, recently expressed by the PDK, which is different from a few weeks ago, is indicator showing that the PDK is interested in taking advantage of itself in this situation.

Hoxhaj: It's a matter of government expanding it

Subheader PDK and Kosovo Parliamentary MP Enver Hoxhaj tells Radio Free Europe that his party is opposition to the government, but not to the state.

According to him, this is why they voted the revised budget so that citizens can be served in time of the coronary pandemic and now when the economic downturn is visible.

According to him, The PDK is not even opposed to the development of dialogue with Serbia, but it is against the way and approach Government Hoti has in dialogue, since, as he says, in the dialogue the government has entered <x0 platforms written, without strategies, without good inter-institute co-ordination, without political consensus, without experience in this process and without any expertise”.

In Radio Free Europe's question of whether the topic of dialogue should serve as a trigger for the Kosovo government, which is considered fragile because it has been approved by the votes of 61 deputies from 120 as far as the Kosovo Assembly has to expand and include other political subjects from the opposition, in this case itself. PDK, Hoxhaj answers:

“The issue of the government enlargement or non-enlargement is not a topic that belongs solely to the Democratic Party of Kosovo. This is a government subject. We are in opposition and remain in opposition. We are not here to give thought to what the Kosovo government would have to do as long as it can or may not stay. But, on specific topics, I think that the PDK's behaviour has been principled, constructive and in the interest of the state resonant and in the interest of citizens, as seen with the budget, but as it is seen with our stance on dialogue”, Hoxhaj said.

He has added that the PDK does not think there should be a process of dialogue that will last another ten years, but have an agreement between the two countries for mutual recognition.

On a rough line with that, there has been the statement of Bekim Colak, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci's cabinet chief, who has said on July 18th that the aim of dialogue with Serbia should be final agreement with mutual recognition, and not the resumption of a European Union-led technical dialogue.

Maliqi: PDK will exploit the situation

Political affairs analyst Agon Maliqi -- speaking of Radio Free Europe -- estimates that he considers the fragility of the Government Hoti, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, but also President Thaci -- have the power and mechanisms to destabilise, but also to bring down this government.

But, according to him, the current government will continue the mandate for the time being because, as he says, even the PDK currently does not see in its interest to go to early parliamentary elections, especially in the context when it has not yet been defined what will happen to its leader, Kadri Veselin, to whom the Special Prosecutor's Office, headquartered in The Hague, has submitted the indictment for war crimes, as well as to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci.

Also, as analyst Maliqi says, The PDK remains the crucial factor for dialogue, because no agreement can pass without their votes, which are needed to reach two-thirds of the Kosovo Assembly deputies' votes, as much as is needed for the passage of international agreements.

I think the PDK will try to exploit this situation, even as a form of pressure in relation to the international community, but also with the current government, to draw something out of itself. At this moment, I see no interest in The PDK to destroy the government and enter the election. I see the possibility that there will be a modulation, where the PDK remains as it is now, but to co-operate at least at the level of dialogue. So there you find a form of co-operation with the government, until another more appropriate moment to go to elections. But I wouldn't rule it out either, and I think this is, I'm guessing, a debate inside. The PDK is still alive”, Maliqi said.

Prime Minister Hoti has said Monday that he has sent invitations to a meeting of political party leaders in Kosovo.

Outside the government, get the maximum

But about whether there was any invitation from Prime Minister Hoti for The PDK, to be included in the dialogue process with Serbia, Hoxhaj has stressed that it does not depend on the prime minister. The way dialogue should be approached, according to him, is the theme of political parties.

However, he has not even accurate The PDK has had any bids for involvement in the government Prime Minister Hoti heads.

“cannot make an offer to enter the government, because the prime minister is not the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo and we do not need to speak with the prime minister. But our attitude is that we remain in opposition and are not interested in the fact that there is or no offer. We have not changed our” position, Hoxhaj said.

However, analyst Maliqi estimates that if the PDK eventually seeks involvement in the current government, then the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, as the two main partners of the current ruling coalition, would have to accommodate it. The PDK even inside its ruling shares. But, he does not rule out the possibility that the PDK will remain an external supporter of the minority government, provided it proposes the country's president, in case the current president, Thaci, has confirmed the indictment by the Specialised Chambers.

Because, if they are confirmed, then that will undoubtedly create a new dynamic, starting with the president's election, where the PDK, in this context, will have to choose between involvement in the government or at least, remaining in opposition, but proposing the president and thus remain half a leg. I think these are dynamics and, at the moment, the signals the PDK sends are mixed, precisely, that it is unclear for itself and second, because it aims to draw a maximum in the context where its vote is crucial, not only for the government, but also for dialogue”, Maliqi stressed.

European Union officials have also warned a meeting for Wednesday, July 22nd, in Brussels, between the Kosovo and Serbia parties, which they have named a technical summit.

Prime Minister Hoti has ruled out any possibility of restarting the technical process of dialogue with Serbia, stressing that “ka dialogue solely political for mutual recognition and normalisation of relations”.