Unlike Haradinaj, a more positive stance on the possibility of a coalition with LVV was given by the coalition partner, Fatmir Limaj, who secured three MPs within the coalition. Limaj made a statement by stating that AAK and NISMA, although they competed within a coalition, are separate parties, therefore they do not necessarily have to vote the same. Highlighting the national context, Limaj did not deny the possibility of sitting at a table with Kurti to discuss the possibilities of cooperation.
The Vetevendosje Movement emerged as the first party in the Parliamentary Elections with over 40 percent of the votes, but not enough to form the new government alone. It needs 13 additional MPs to form a fragile executive with 61 lawmakers. The current ruling party is convinced that it will form the new government, although for this it needs a governing partner. For Albin Kurti, it is still too early to talk about the possibilities of coalitions, since the LVV leader is initially waiting for the certification of the results. The clearest in this regard is the head of the LVV Parliamentary Group in the previous legislature, Mimoza Kusari – Lila, who said that the LVV is not open to “unprincipled” coalitions or “political bargaining”. With over 22 percent of the votes, the Democratic Party of Kosovo emerged as the second party on February 9. The leader of this party, Memli Krasniqi, was categorical, rejecting any possibility of cooperation with the LVV in the 9th legislature of the Assembly of Kosovo.
“No, we are not going into a coalition, in any form, period,” he said confidently during an interview on RTV Dukagjini. In his assessment, PDK and LVV do not agree on almost “anything”, therefore, according to him, PDK will not form a coalition with LVV even in the scenario when it becomes prime minister.
On the contrary, PDK is aiming to work as the second largest party to form a government of opposition parties, in case LVV fails to create new institutions. “As the second largest party, we will take the necessary steps to implement the will of the majority of voters. We will work to give citizens the government for which the majority voted. If the first party cannot form the institutions, the opposition as the winner of these elections can form the new government,” said the PDK’s candidate for prime minister, Bedri Hamza, a day after the election process. The Democratic League of Kosovo, the party that came in third on February 9, was also categorical towards LVV. LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku, however, implied that her party, with over 17 percent of the votes won, will not give the “green light” even to a broad opposition coalition to form the next government.
“If the people decide to keep us in opposition, we will stay in opposition,” he said. Any possibility of cooperation with the first party has also been rejected by the candidate for prime minister from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo – Social Democratic Initiative coalition, Ramush Haradinaj.
In his assessment, the new government should be formed by the opposition parties, since the opposition has the majority (52 mandates). “There is mutual communication [with the opposition], there is no concrete progress because there are also constitutional deadlines, but I believe there is a willingness to move forward,” Haradinaj declared. Unlike Haradinaj, a more positive stance on the possibility of a coalition with LVV was given by the coalition partner, Fatmir Limaj, who provided three MPs within the coalition. Limaj made a statement by stating that AAK and NISMA, although they competed within a coalition, are separate parties, therefore they do not necessarily have to vote the same. Highlighting the national context, Limaj did not deny the possibility of sitting at a table with Kurti to discuss possibilities for cooperation.
“Whoever invites me to the table, I will go and sit down, on national topics”, he said. LVV has not yet given an official position on this open offer, although Kusari – Lila said that in this case, readiness alone is not enough. “More substantive issues need to be discussed”, she added. But, even with the votes of NISM, Kurti cannot form a government, he needs 10 more mandates, which he can find among the communities.
In this context, the current Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Emilija Rexhepi, who was re-elected as an MP from the Bosniak community, took a pro-Kurti position. She said that her vote would be for a government formed by Albin Kurti. “I am sure that Kurti will form the Government, I am not one of those who change character or principles overnight, being a Deputy Prime Minister from the Bosniak community has not been practical, someone from the Serbian community has always been appointed to that position”, she said. Rexhepi declared herself against any cooperation with the opposition. “No, I will not go with the opposition”, she said confidently. Other community parties have not yet declared their positions towards coalitions, while Kosovo has entered a complicated phase of institution formation in critical circumstances of geopolitical changes. (Albanian Post)
