According to the writer of this opinion piece, Halil Matoshi, the President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, cannot succeed in overcoming the political crisis in Kosovo considering that she has served the Democratic Party of Kosovo and Hashim Thaci for almost two mandates. He views her leadership as pitiful.
Matoshi believes that Isa Mustafa and his party should sacrifice themselves if this can bring about a peaceful solution for Kosovo. “He should find the moral force and civic patriotism to do this to have a clear conscience in the future,” he writes adding that through this act he would become an example for future generations. “If he does not have a sense of civic patriotism today, he cannot act surprised when the situation spirals out of control tomorrow… Mr. Prime Minister make this sacrifice for the sake of the Republic,” writes Matoshi .
On the other hand, he praises the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo regarding his decision to participate at the round table with the leaders of the political parties, called by President Jahjaga. “First of all, it cannot be believed that Haradinaj would provoke any clashes with the U.S. and the West, a thing that Vetevendosje appears not to hesitate, and secondly, he does not want clashes among Kosovar society, because in that case his and his family’s war would not make sense,” Matoshi writes.
Speaking about the Democratic League of Kosovo, Matoshi notes that this party does not have many options. He considers that breach of the coalition would mean for members of this party political suicide. “Isa Mustafa and those that surround him would have to go home, while Thaci, would enjoy governing for additional five years. Of course, if he would not have problems with the international justice. If Kosovo would have to hand in its president of the state for the alleged war crimes, it would mean that there is no place for citizens’ conscience in Kosovo,” writes Matoshi and adds that this would equalize Kosovo with Milosevic’s Serbia. “Those who raise their hands for Thaci to become president will be hunted by this scourge during their entire lives. Therefore, they should resist today in order not to be humiliated tomorrow.”
According to Matoshi that opposition parties became unified due to their anti-government positions, however, he adds; their intentions are not the same. AAK and NISMA simply claim power, without societal and governing ethics reforms, while Vetevendosje aims at social revolution. It is already clear that a united list of opposition parties could win the elections, however this would lead to a united list of PDK and LDK, guaranteeing power for Mustafa but leaving Ibrahim Rugova’s party behind in history.
He further notes that there are deep conceptual and ideological distinctions between AAK and Vetevendosje. Finally, he writes that Kosovo needs a political agreement among rival groups if they want to avoid civilian conflict. “And the key to any agreement is allowing for early elections to take place in autumn of this year or spring of the next, with parties pledging that they will recognize the election results. In the meantime, a national rescue government can begin fulfilling Kosovo’s international obligations. If reasonable people to implement these large scale solutions are not found, then it is possible that NATO will interfere and sticks will be broken on the heads of Kosovo leaders, because one thing is certain: the U.S., Great Britain and Germany will not allow for their biggest Euro-Western project after the WWII to fail. Failure of Kosovo state would mean departure of the West from central Balkans and return of Russia…” concludes Matoshi.
