American Professor: Kurti must not become like Erdogan, to view parliament as plastic

Ben-Meir, in a proposal for the Express Journal, has said that in order to preserve democratic integrity, Kurti should not initiate ultimatums to the opposition.

“Although the opposition LDK party agreed to vote Vjosa Osmani as president, it would have been much wiser on Kurti's part not to threaten going to new elections just because one of the other parties from the opposition disagrees with his opinion”, the American professor said.

“to maintain Kosovo's democratic integrity, the prime minister must not issue ultimatums, which undermine the principle of advice and consent on which democracy is based. Kurti should not imitate Turkey's Erdogan, who now uses parliament as plastic, to vote on any favourable legislation he wants”, he added further.

Meanwhile, as far as electoral reform is concerned, changing the Law for General Elections, the expert on Western Balkan issues has recommended that the executive leader include the opposition in question, respectively.

“In final analysis, allowing Kosovars living abroad to vote would also influence opposition parties. Kurti must present such legislation to be debated in parliament and reach a consensus, while also benefit from the contribution civil society may have to offer on this matter”, he added further.

Asked whether the president should be elected by popular vote, Ben-Mayr has made a different proposal for parliamentary elections.

The frequent parliamentary elections in Kosovo remind me of what is currently happening in Israel. The problem is that there are many parties competing in elections, and as long as the threshold in Kosovo remains 5 per cent for qualifications, it allows a greater number of parties to be represented in parliament. The remedy for my opinion is raising the threshold perhaps to 10 per cent, which will force smaller parties that share similar views, join and form a larger party”, he recommends.

Ben-Meir has offered a different proposal for parliamentary elections, so there will be no frequent elections.

The frequent parliamentary elections in Kosovo remind me of what is currently happening in Israel. The problem is that there are many parties competing in elections, and as long as the threshold in Kosovo remains 5 per cent for qualifications, it allows a greater number of parties to be represented in parliament. The remedy for my opinion is raising the threshold perhaps to 10 per cent, which will force smaller parties that share similar views, join and form a larger party”, he recommends.

During Friday, Prime Minister Kurti prioritised the general election change law before the president's election. The change of this legal rating would, among other things, enable the austerity vote by consulates and relevant embassies in the country's parliamentary elections.

This caused disappointment with one of the opposition parties, who had vowed to vote for Vjosa Osman for president. The LDK) with its chairman, Lumir Abdixhiku, after being announced to hold the session from 21:00 for the vote on the bill, an hour earlier invited the conference, saying that if the draft law is not withdrawn from the Parliament, “Kurti will take the country to the elections”.

However, on Sunday, a few minutes before holding the session for the president's vote, the Vetevendosje Movement withdrew the Bill for Elections from the Parliament, this continued request by LDK) as a consensus for the country's first vote.

In the third round, with 69 votes in favour, Vjosa Osmani was proclaimed president of Kosovo, securing a 5-year term in the post. The latter served as a front-runner of the president's office from the time former President Hashim Thaci's gone to The Hague, down to Glauk Konjufca's vote as chief officer.