Serb representatives in Kosovo institutions say they have not backed down from their request to extend for another mandate the reserved seats of minority communities in Kosovo’s Parliament. Kosovo Labor and Social Welfare Minister Nenad Rasic said the issue will be discussed in the following days with political parties. “We will continue to insist on reserved seats. I know that the rejection of the idea by several political parties does not favor the proposal but this does not mean that we will back down. We will continue to use all means, at all institutional levels, to be triumphant in this process,” Rasic told Radio Free Europe.
The issue of reserved seats for minority communities in parliament is the key issue in the process of election and constitutional reforms in Kosovo. Several political parties, including the Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), have rejected the idea to extend the mandate of 20 reserved seats.
LDK deputy leader and MP Teuta Sahatcija said her party’s position is very clear: there should be no more reserved seats for minority communities in parliament. “The LDK’s position is very clear, the issue of reserved seats is arranged with the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. The Constitution provides that two mandates after the declaration of independence, reserved seats are removed and that guaranteed seats remain in effect. The position of the LDK is that the Constitution needs to be respected,” Sahatcija said.
Sahatcija also rejected arguments that reserved seats in parliament result in greater integration for minority communities in society and institutions. “They have no interest whatsoever to join the parties of the majority or the institutions of the majority. We think the Constitution should not be amended during this mandate,” she added.
Meanwhile, Rasic, who spoke on behalf of minority communities, said the issue of reserved seats is sensitive and that he hopes an agreement will be reached with the help of international stakeholders in Kosovo. “We want to convince the LDK that we wouldn’t have Kosovo without support from the international community, especially the Quint countries. Since we have support from the Quint, I don’t believe they have ever given bad advice to Kosovo or to any political party,” Rasic added.
