Different comments on election reform process (TV21)
Prime Minister Thaçi’s statement that Venice Commission’s intervention is needed to solve political deadlock with regard to election reform has provoked various comments. Mazllum Baraliu, election expert, thinks that such an intervention is unnecessary, and that it is political parties that should agree on the election reform. According to Baraliu, this situation is not a deadlock.
Driton Selmanaj of the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) also believes that Venice Commission is invited only in extraordinary situations, which is not the case in Kosovo. Selmanaj considers that this is Prime Minister’s political game.
Baraliu and Selmanaj say that the election reform deadlock was caused by political leaders, who did not express any interest at all for overcoming this situation.
EULEX should retain its executive powers (RTK1)
Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi stated to RTK1 on Saturday that the Kosovo Government was very interested that after June, EULEX’s executive powers be transferred to locals. Unlike Kuçi’s statement, Ardian Arifaj, political analyst, says that EULEX should retain its powers in the area of organised crime and corruption as well as in war crimes, because Kosovo authorities and political class have failed to be competent and willing to address those crimes.
“The most concerning issue for Kosovo citizens should be why do we need a EULEX mission at all? Why is there the high mistrust in Kosovo institutions? And why Kosovo citizens and Kosovo society is tolerating such a judiciary and such a political class, which is not proving to be committed in establishing the rule of law,” Arifaj said.
On the other hand, Naim Rashiti of ICG believes that the EU should allow Kosovo, even if it has the tendency to make mistakes, to lead judiciary in the fight against crime and corruption, in order for Kosovo’s state identity to get its shape, and that political class can face the responsibilities that belong to it. According to Rashiti, war crime cases should remain under EULEX’s responsibility.
AAK will stop supporting Kosovo-Serbia talks (KTV, TV21)
The AAK vice chairperson Ahmet Isufi said that the process of Kosovo-Serbia political negotiations has been degraded, and consequently it will no longer be supported by AAK.
In his pronouncement to Lajmi.net, Isufi stated that AAK’s position was that Kosovo should withdraw from the negotiations. According to him, considering that the process has degraded and that all what is happening is repetitive meetings that have turned to courtesy rather than implementation of agreements, then Kosovo should withdraw from the negotiations.
On Thursday, talking about dialogue in an interview with Epoka e Re, the AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj said that his political party was seeking to make Kosovo avoid a process which, according to him, is moving towards abuse.
