Krasniqi: Kurt to focus on governance, not elections, government in shadow forms in February

Krasniqi tells Kosovo Pres that the Kurti government has done no three important jobs during 2021.

“We have been surprised to the worse with the government's lack of competence. There have been expectations that at least the ministers have more knowledge and vision for areas entrusted with tasks, but this has not happened. I'm sorry this year is closing down without having the opportunity to account for at least three important jobs that this government has done. If we really and objectively analysed the government's work this year, whether the internal plan or especially the external plan has had no positive advantage. We've had big problems with the pandemic. Only this year have we had two big waves that have taken many lives and that have been marked by mismanagement by institutions. We have had trouble in foreign policy, today Kosovo has new recognition, nor has it applied for membership in international organisations. We have had degradation of our reports in the region and especially with Albania that is meaningless and unacceptable. But also a degradation of our reports with some of Kosovo's main partners, such as the United States and some of the key EU states. And really all that has been defined this year is that instead of having an increase in the welfare of citizens we had the price increase and the increase of problems, which with another approach would be small. [...] So far they have left no room for any positive developments with this government. Lack of competence, knowledge, but even the governing vision is disturbing”, he says.

Especially, according to him, the executive is to blame for the lack of resolution of the energy crisis.

“Faji is the government's for lack of resolution of the crisis and for neglect they have addressed this issue. I don't want to be alarming, but we still haven't achieved the worst part of this crisis. As temperatures drop, it is normal to increase consumption and local production is going down because of exits of other blocs. While prices in the market are energy, financial capacities to cover the import appear to exist, and therefore this will create a more serious crisis than what we experienced in December”, he adds.

Regarding new election opportunities this year, head of The PDK says about Kosovo that Prime Minister Kurti's focus should be on governance rather than on ballot boxes. But that, according to him, does not mean that the PDK is not ready for new elections.

The “seems so often we have held elections in Kosovo that this topic that there will be elections again has become quite natural even when it is at the level of speculation. There have been other past cases when there was said to be elections this month, or seasons, but they were not held. So I believe that the current focus of government should be on governance and not elections. As we believe there should be no government change, how much change of mentality and approach to governance must be. This means no way we're ready for elections, no doubt serious political parties are always ready to go to the polls. We have witnessed this, since we have had extraordinary elections held no more than 45 days”, Krasniqi says.

He says Prime Minister Kurti should not escape responsibility even in relation to dialogue with Serbia. However, as it says, dialogue should not be crucial for Kosovo governments.

In addition, the opposition leader urges the prime minister to be more serious in dialogue and reaching a comprehensive agreement.

For success in the dialogue, the government must be much more serious that it has shown so far. Last months have been months missing, there have been two meetings that have been used for political spas and domestic consumption, and not to achieve the goals of dialogue. [...] The focus of the prime minister and government should be on reaching the final agreement, but the truth is that this year, at least the first part of the year there is no real space to do something concrete, as Serbia too has elections in early April, up to that time, neither is initiative on the part of the mediator. [...] Ties in dialogue have had its impact even on the life expectancy of governments in the past. But I believe Prime Minister Kurti should not leave this responsibility, as he has the most comfortable position that past governments have had. He has a dominant majority in the Assembly, has absolute power in all government leverage, controls the government, has proximity and compliance with the president, and, normally, all he has is to be responsible and serious about reaching the agreement. It is impossible to speculate and should not think that dialogue is crucial to our governments, as citizens have to decide for them, as they have decided”, he adds.

Chairman The PDK has its own reserves as regards the possibility of Kosovo's involvement in the Open Balkans.

He says Kosovo cannot become part of this initiative until it has been equal since the beginning.

We can't be part of a table where we haven't been equal from the beginning. The lack of a clarity for a equality of the parties certainly hinders the implementation of this process. If the Open Balkans were meant for the six countries of the Western Balkans then the six states had to be part of the initiative from the start to the end, including making rules. It's not the same thing to sit on the table from the start and cool off halfway. There is a need for a re-remembering of this project, which, above all in Kosovo's perspective, should be equal to”, Krasniqi said.

As for reforms in the party, Krasniqi says they are on the right track to close the platform for which he was elected at the helm of the PDK. He says that at the end of February, the government will be formed in shadow.

We'll soon take more steps, which I have part of the platform with which I asked my colleagues to trust when I'm mayor. So establishing the cabinet for good governance, which will be the model of shadow governance that we did many years ago as the PDK when we were in opposition 2005-2007. Consolidating a study institute and analysis that will be near The PDK, but not structural parts and collects around itself experts and academics to help work the PDK and all our organs. There will be a continuation of the approach we have to change the opposition model we have in Kosovo”, he concludes.

Krasniqi elected chairman PDK in July 2021. With him at the top, The PDK had a good result in local elections, winning several municipalities. / KP