Adriatik Kelmendi, KTV’s editor-in-chief, writes that Albin Kurti’s announcement that he is stepping down from the post of Vetevendosje leader in order to focus on the grassroots of the party is something that has not been witnessed so far in the region’s political scene. While the decision to withdraw from party’s top position is something that other leaders should look up to, it is at the same time a huge experiment with no success guarantee, says Kelmendi. He remarks that since Kurti has been viewed by Vetevendosje leadership as a type of a philosophical-political guru, this change could be painful for a while.
Apart from Albin Kurti, Vetevendosje has another leading figure, the mayor of Pristina Shpend Ahmeti, writes Kelmendi adding that in a normal situation, it would be expectable that Ahmeti would be the one to succeed Kurti. However, Vetevendosje statute does not allow for an individual to be at the same time a party and institutional leader which, in this case, prevents Ahmeti from getting the post. At the same time, in three years’ time when Ahmeti’s municipal mandate expires, Kurti could also decide to make a comeback to the party’s leading post and thus assume a second, final mandate. At present, Vetevendosje will be led by Visar Ymeri who until now was Kurti’s deputy. Kelmendi claims that Ymeri cannot allow being a “puppet leader” and he will not have an easy time in trying to strengthen his new role, especially while having an energetic and ambitious colleague like Ahmeti who also happens to be his first cousin.
