Parliamentary language degradation, until physical impact

The Kosovo Assembly, not only is it among the institutions that enjoy the least faith in the opinion, but recently has been transformed into the verbal confrontation arena of degraded vocabulary among deputies of different parties, mainly between those in power and opposition, which have not rarely escalated until physical clashes, assessing representatives of nongovernmental organisations overseeing the work of the assembly, as well as connoisser of political developments.

On Tuesday, July 28th, the verbal clash between the deputy of the Vetevendosje Movement, Gazmend Grandnica and two deputies of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Kujtim Shala and Arben Gashi, is reported to have ended up as a physical clash between them. For more, MP Papalinca has presented this case to the Kosovo Police as a physical attack on him, where minor bodily injuries have been caused.

Kosovo police, have confirmed to Radio Free Europe that this case is also listed in the report published concerning cases that took place within 24 hours on July 28th.

With the prosecutor's decision, the case goes into regular procedure”, the Kosovo Police report said.

Parliamentary Disputes (no)
But, Eugen Cakoli of the Kosovo Democratic Institute, tells Radio Free Europe, that the physical clash between MPs in the Kosovo Assembly on 28 July is only the last case, which reflects the degradation of MPs' behaviour.

(Arben) Gashi and (Remember) Shala, is just one of many such cases, when MPs, instead of the language of argument and co-operation on issues of national interest, have chosen violence or indecent parliamentary behavior as a way of resolving political differences”, Cakoli stressed.

Political affairs analyst Donika Emine, speaking of Radio Free Europe, says that the efficacy of MPs, which ends with physical clashes, are depressing and disappointing to the opinion and citizens they have chosen. As she says, the current composition of the Kosovo Assembly, compared to past legislatures, there are more new deputies, who are believed to be bringing spirit of change and co-operation, not only to the assembly, but generally to poetry in Kosovo.

However, according to Emin, the exact opposite has occurred and parliamentary language, as well as the behaviour of MPs have largely degraded, bringing extreme polarisation among political parties.

“words and arguments are on the personal level. I'll say that there's degradation, to the level of physical assault on the mayor, which was probably one of the most disturbing scenes we've seen in the convent since the afternoon. Second, there is the degradation of the parliamentary language, where ministers address MPs, as with MPs being retarded children, where ministers lecture for diplomacy or also give diagnosis for COVID-19. All of this happens before the eyes of the citizens, in a state of pandemic, where everything is being experienced more seriously than the usual”, Amy stressed.

On 11 July, the Kosovo Assembly session was interrupted after a verbal clash between Democratic League of Kosovo deputy Xhavit Ukaj and the assembly's speaker, Vjosa Osmani.

“According to the MP who physically and with an unprecedented banal language for an institution such as the assembly, I have opened a case in police”, Osmani wrote on Facebook.

Arton Demhasey, director of the Organisation for Democracy, Anti-Corruption and Dignitity Get up, says the public dictionary of discussion among politicians, even of the highest level of representative, has degraded in large measure, through the vocabulary of insulting and insulting speech they use about each other. According to him, this trend has started for a few years now, but recently it is becoming disturbing.

By all means, when we see this dictionary used, not only outside, but inside the institution, by people considered to be the principal host of our institutions at the same time, taking into account that all of these are conveyed by public opinion. It's maximum degradation, and I think it really has to start to take action against them, whether it's disciplinary or perhaps even criminal measures, in order to prevent this so bad phenomenon that has begun to spread, especially to public institutions”, Demhayan said.

Soft Punishment Measures
Chocolate suggests that up to such a situation, where institutions behave beyond ethics, it has been achieved because of the lack of a normic base for punishing MPs who use languages or have nonparliamentary behavior. According to him, the assembly's working order remains flawed in terms of punitive provisions for MPs who obstruct in any way the work of the assembly or parliamentary commissions.

The current version of the regulation envisions only the possibility that for MPs who are constantly hindering labour or plenary sessions, the most severe penalty measure is for the same to be taken out of the session or for them to be barred from attending the session or meetings of that day. In principle, however, the provision allows MPs to repeat each day the same behavior without any punitive measures that would make them conscious of taking such actions”, Cakolli stressed.

Analyst Emini, says that in recent years, it is the behavior and poor vocabulary of MPs who have reduced the opinion's confidence in the Kosovo Assembly as an institution.

These actions can only further contribute to lowering credibility to this institution. Knowing that we are the parliamentary republic and that there are very important issues there, it is disturbing to see what level of MPs there are. This is not just happening in the convent. That happens in government, even in television debates when politicians talk about each other”, Emini said.

But, Demhhan says that at least for physical clashes, there are certain provisions in the Penal Code, which, in the event of minor bodily injury, the damaged side has the right to file charges.

I think that these materials should be treated with priority, so that through these subjects and the setting of them, a tendency to prevent such behaviors from being interrupted and repeated in the future”, Demhaja stressed.

Recognisors of developments in Kosovo have estimated that if political parties continue to be served with harsh, inflammatory and irritating language among themselves, the same spirit will be seen in the public having political orientation and, which, day-to-day, is more divided and frustrated on political grounds. According to them, politicians should interrupt the fight practices so that such practices are not made an example for their militants and political party followers.