Outstanding or Common Week

It says: Becky Colak

The quiet Sunday constantly betrays our extremely noisy capital. Tomorrow's week could be extraordinary for many reasons. But it can also remain just another typical week. Why do I think this could be an extraordinary week?

The week we left behind brought disappointment and failure for Kosovo and all of us. A good job that has been done for years to membership Kosovo in the Council of Europe has temporarily ended with failure. This failure did not happen because opponents of Kosovo's independence and state were more powerful than we were, but because of the lack of co-ordination of our state institutions with our Western partners.

In fact, the strange letters, the reckless and scandalous statements of our rulers, revealed another evil that some may not have known. Let alone that there was a lack of co-ordination with international partners, it well turned out there was no co-ordination even within our state institutions. Under such circumstances, failure is inevitable. That fact alone is enough to convince anyone who still has doubts that Kosovo is in a serious situation in the relationship with our strategic partners over which the burden of strengthening our sovereignty and membership of Kosovo in international organisations consistently falls. Of course, we are all aware that Kosovo is not well either in the internal sense.

High inflation and price hikes, not only have they increased the cost of living, but for much of our citizens, they have made it very difficult. The public sector, civil servants, policemen, soldiers, teachers, doctors, etc., which are the back of holding the state, for over a decade have not received increased salaries. Their bank accounts have few numbers just at the beginning of the month, but they quickly emptied. While the state of pensioners of all categories remains miserable.

As a result, the trend of silent departure of our young people continues for a better life somewhere away from Kosovo. Finally, we are in a bad situation as a country and as a society.

Therefore, a fresh start in the context of democratic renewal is considered necessary. This week, a motion for the distribution of this legislature of the Kosovo Assembly is expected to be discussed by the people's elected. Without party differences, MPs will be before the dilemma of whether to vote in favour or against this motion. For many of the MPs this has been their first mandate, and for many others the usual work has been done for nearly two decades.

Some of them may think that if they vote the motion, they may risk never becoming deputies again. Others who may have become bored with doing this work for two decades may realize that their lives can continue by doing something else in life. In each case, the people's chosen ones should think for a moment about some of the troubles of the people listed above and make a rational decision about our future. During this week, Prime Minister Kurti will be able to keep at least a single public promise throughout his mandate.

Keeping my word public that I will help the opposition with his party's votes for the distribution of this legislature and create the conditions for extraordinary democratic elections. The same option will be held by opposition parties, which are insistently at least blindly demanding holding extraordinary elections. Of course, the dedication of some of them to humiliate Prime Minister Kurti by demanding his resignation is by no means sincere.

In a situation where extraordinary elections are considered necessary to bring the country out of the serious socio-economic and political crisis, conditions of this nature are just hypocrisy. The LDK and AAK cannot request the prime minister's resignation and also say they vote for the assembly's distribution only after the prime minister's resignation.

They know that this attitude is ridiculous and meaningless because their demand translates into two completely different scenarios into our parliamentary practice and legislation. I'm not explaining it anymore because it's understandable and I don't intend to offend their knowledge or readers of this scripture. While, I hope the PDK will not change their public stance in favour of this motion at the last moment. In the end, this crisis requires a unified response from all parliamentary parties.

Backing this motion for the distribution of this legislature and holding extraordinary elections, MPs will demonstrate that the interests of Kosovo and its citizens are ahead of party interests. Such a joint action will demonstrate our responsibility as democratic society, as leaders and representatives of the people. Another crucial moment for our state and our history is expected to happen during the week at The Hague.

In the marathon process, the court panel in the case against former President Hashim Thaci, former Prime Minister Veselin and Krasniqi, and ex-Depute Selimi has warned of holding a session in which the development of the process will be considered and perhaps even strict deadlines could be imposed against prosecution or defence teams, to put this complex process and contractors into a compass leading to completion. The panel of judges is aware of their responsibility in relations with the general public in Kosovo and with defendants who for nearly four years have been detained in The Hague.

By not prejudiced their decisions, we have the right to demand complete transparency and conclusion of this process within a reasonable period of time. The court's credibility and this process's progress depends on the decisions of this panel, and we will patiently wait on them. So, before we have an extraordinary week which can open new windows and prospects for Kosovo. But it can easily remain just another typical and noisy week. I hope the first and not second will be fulfilled, because it would be a wasted opportunity.