Malisheva Publicist: Vote for Ekrem Kastrati, is lost vote

The publicist known by Malisheva, Yusuf Bytyci, through a writing says the isolation of his municipality is not the solution.

“In Malisheva race is between two candidates: Isni Kilaj from PDK and Ekrem Kastrati from the Initiative. These two also distinguish as candidates and as parties”, Bytyci writes.

Full text:

Malisheva Isolation Not a Solution

Yusuf Bytyci

Local elections in the Republic of Kosovo are approaching. We have thus entered the last week of the electoral campaign to come to Sunday on October 17th, when citizens around Kosovo will be determined for who will govern their dailyity in the municipalities where they live. These choices are extremely important, since in them and through them we decide for our community, for the possibilities it should create for us, and for the space and the welfare it should offer us.

And these depend heavily on the candidate. But not just from him. Even from the team he brings to local government. Even from his experience and his knowledge of the municipality he competes with.

In Malisheva, the race is between two candidates: Isni Kilaj from PDK and Ekrem Kastrati from the Initiative. These two also distinguish as candidates and as parties.

I'm not going in here on the candidates' biographies in the race, since we've heard about them and discussed a lot during these days. Another thing that's important in this election, which is more connected to the “family of each candidate, is important. So what parties are these two parties that compete in Malisheva? And what are their potential?

As you know, the initiative is now a party with major political legitimacy problems. As long as in the 2019 elections, they barely entered the central Assembly, in 2021 the threshold has not passed. So the political legitimacy of the country's Initiative is declining. And by oath of it which is very swift. And this is also important for the local race. Because local power is not island power. Not completely relieved of the central. Consequently, a party that has no access to central-level political forums, which has no legitimacy in other parts of Kosovo, has difficulty showing good and efficient governance for Malisheva. And this is also seen in Malisheva. Some of the initiative's central figures are in favour of Kilaj's candidacy. Right. If you want the best for Malisheva, then you're rationally lined up with the candidate who has the best chance of governing and brings more to Malisheva.

The representation in the Kosovo Assembly creates great political space, not only for issues that can be raised there, but especially for budgetary divisions belonging to Kosovo municipalities from the central budget. If there is no co-ordination between the mayor of the municipality with none of the parliamentary groups in the Parliament, then Malisheva's voice fades generally. And the municipality risks oblivion and isolation.

That's what Kilay seems to have. Parliamentary Group The PDK is the second largest in the Assembly. While Kilaj has a significant decision-making position in the Democratic Party of Kosovo (in contrast to Kastrati in the Initiative). Which suggests that Kilaj in the position of Malisheva chairman would have full support of the PDK, and especially of their parliamentary group. Malisheva's isolation in such a case would be impossible even if it were the goal or tendency of central power.

Another political flaw in the Initiative is increasingly becoming their organisational stability. In recent elections, they did their best to become part of the PDK. Fear of extinction is making them a party that always goes on the verge of melting. This party's political stability makes local governance in Malisevo as unstable governance. Concrete, while the candidate of the uncertain candidate initiative. The Malisheva municipality, which is under the interests of party fears of the Initiative. Malishevo is not obligated to care for the survival of political parties, whatever it is!

Consequently, the vote for Kastrati could be seen as the missing vote. Since party and political destination are not certain, it echoes in Kosovo very limited.