Miftarian: Power must not blackmail with elections and win 500,000 votes

Ehat Miftaraj considers good news that this law did not receive sufficient support at last night's session. The other adds that the same will go into regular procedures, as the Law defines for Legal Initiatives and the government's regulation for public consultations.

He for Kosova Prees says that during yesterday, power attempted to change the Law on Elections without public consultations and the opposition with swift procedures.

Any democratic state, after the constitution, the Law for General Elections enters within the basic laws that promote or violate democracy in one country. Any initiative of any political party that with quick strides without public consultation, without consulting the opposition and international partners, without taking international reports based on the organisation of last years' elections, is considered urgent, groundless, and violating democracy in a country”, he says.

IKD Director Ehat Miftaraj adds that it is vital that by April 5th the process of appointing Kosovo president begin. On the contrary, he says, the country will return to the time of declaring independence.

If we do not have the president by May 5th of this year, the Republic of Kosovo will face an unprecedented situation. We will return to zero point immediately at the time we announced the Declaration of Independence in February 2008, or when the Constitution of Kosovo entered into force in May 2008. To be launched on such adventures, where it could happen on May 5th that we don't have president and lock up almost everything, turn into anarchy, of course that doesn't want to comment. Power, while having numbers, cannot be arrogant and blackmailing with elections that it will win 500,000 votes<1>, he adds.

Moreover, he considers government leader Albin Kurti has no respect for international demands or international reports. He cites the DAS report, which mentions the government's approach to Hoti for abolishing the task force without public consultations.

The same approach was made by Kurti Government, three or four days later. Of course, the international factor cannot tolerate and cannot compromise with at least two issues in the Republic of Kosovo. It is the Constitution and human rights and freedoms and elections, which means, what approach to democracy in Kosovo we should have. I am convinced that the reaction will be severe by international partners and this action of Kurti Government will be reflected even in international reports”, he concludes.

The Vetevendosje Movement's proposal that changes in the Law for Elections pass by accelerated procedure did not get the 2/3 of the Parliament, as 65 MPs voted against it was 39.

Seven non-governmental organisations yesterday have called on the Vetevendosje Movement to withdraw from the requirement for changing the General Election Law. This response said that even in the event of the Parliament's failure to elect the president, and therefore proclaiming extraordinary elections, there will be no opportunity to make necessary preparations for voting in consulates abroad. The same have considered that the entire election process would be compromised in this case.