University professor Dritëro Arifi says that the narrative being created by the opposition parties and the ruling party on the issue of the president is not honest from either side. #Arifi estimates that even if a member of the Jashari family were to take such a position, they would face numerous challenges
Within a day, completely different statements circulated about the election of the new president of Kosovo. Deputy Prime Minister Glauk Konjufca stated on Wednesday that a name from the Jashari family is being positively received by everyone, emphasizing that if a name for president were to come from this family, it would be an “automatic consensus” in society. A few hours later, Murat Jashari, the son of Rifat Jashari, and Bekim Jashari, former mayor of Skenderaj, made completely different statements, stating that they have no intention of taking such a position and that they would accept it only in the event of an extraordinary situation, such as a civil war.
Political expert Belgzim Kamberi, commenting on Konjufca’s statement for the Albanian Post, says that the Vetevendosje Movement’s idea of a president from the Jashari family also creates the impression that this party is not aiming for absolute power, emphasizing that the Vetevendosje Movement “is ready for compromise with the opposition and that it shares state responsibility with other political actors.” Kamberi says that the way the situation regarding the election of the president is being discussed is regrettable. “Instead of treating the election of the president as one of the most serious and necessary decisions for the state in these circumstances, the process is being carried out without transparency, without public debate and without clarity on the criteria. Names are being circulated like test balloons, while citizens remain spectators of party bargaining,” he says. According to him, even more worrying is the fact that Kosovo faces major geopolitical storms and complex challenges.
Meanwhile, regarding the relationship between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and President Vjosa Osmani, he claims that it is now obvious that this relationship has faded after Kurti’s victory with over 50 percent of the votes. He adds that “during the five-year mandate, Vjosa Osmani has been mainly in line with Kurti. There have also been nuances of inconsistency, especially in foreign policy, at a time when Kurti is increasingly centralizing this field around himself and Vetëvendosje. Consequently, today Vjosa Osmani may constitute more of a rival and limiting factor for Albin Kurti, both in consolidating domestic power and in foreign policy.”
University professor Dritëro Arifi tells Albanian Post that the narrative being created by the opposition parties and the ruling party on the issue of the president is not sincere on either side. Arifi estimates that, even if a member of the Jashari family were to take such a position, he would face numerous challenges. “If a member of the Jashari family were to take such a position, it must be understood that during the presidential mandate there would be difficult political challenges. Considering that Albin Kurti’s government has often been accused of violating the Constitution, it would be very difficult to create a positive balance between the presidency and the prime ministership.”
Arifi, from his perspective, sees Osmani’s situation as a major challenge. “For Vjosa Osmani, I believe that she has a difficult confrontation, because if the Vetevendosje Movement does not support her, she will have an extremely difficult time achieving her goal of a second mandate. So, Osmani’s position depends to a large extent on Mr. Kurti’s stance.” A few months ago, President Vjosa Osmani was criticized for setting the date for the extraordinary elections, which was considered favorable for the Vetevendosje Movement due to the arrival of the diaspora. However, currently the relations between the ruling party and Osmani seem to have taken on a different dynamic. This is because Prime Minister Albin Kurti, during this week, declared that they do not have a candidate for president, emphasizing that the Vetevendosje Movement does not have any member with a party booklet who aims to become president.
On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo have not submitted candidacies, assessing that the process requires political dialogue and a broader agreement. Meanwhile, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo has not yet given any position on this issue. In the past, the name of Ramush Haradinaj was mentioned for the position of president, however, he has not given any signal that he continues to be interested in this post. According to constitutional procedures, to run for president, at least 30 signatures of deputies are needed, while the election is held in the Assembly with two-thirds of the votes in the first two rounds, or by simple majority in the third round. Without reaching this consensus, the country risks facing new parliamentary elections.
In this situation, the fact that only Osmani has confirmed his intention to run for re-election makes him, at least for the moment, the only concrete name on the political horizon. However, the lack of movement from other parties leaves open the possibility that the dynamics could change at the last minute, a known practice in previous presidential election processes in Kosovo. As the deadlines pass, the pressure on the political spectrum is expected to increase, as the country must ensure institutional continuity within the set deadline, avoiding another electoral cycle.