The paper’s political editor, Agron Halitaj, claims that the agreement between political leaders – Hashim Thaci, Isa Mustafa and Behgjet Pacolli – three years ago for electing president of Kosovo was clearly anti-constitutional at least in one of its aspects. It aimed to cut short regular mandate of the president, Atifete Jahjaga, so that her successor could be elected through direct vote. When subsequently, the Constitutional Court gave its opinion on the issue, even the guaranteeing party of the agreement, the former US ambassador Christopher Dell, admitted that they may have rushed and made a mistake in the process.
However, now when the election reform is in its final stages, legislation commission made another mistake by incorporating in the election law the provision that gives parties’ leaders the right to automatically acquire all votes casted for their political parties. “Hiding the leader from the list of candidates is not only in violation to the Constitution but also to the principle of citizen legitimacy,” remarks Halitaj.
He adds further that Constitution of Kosovo clearly specifies that election system includes open votes. Once the voter fails to find preferred candidate on the list and the vote goes automatically to the party leader, there can be no talk of open lists but rather, semi-closed lists.
Halitaj also argues that the last local elections showed that the citizens could vote for a political entity but not necessarily its leader. This, he adds, should be used as an argument against adopting the provision giving party leaders all votes casted for their respective parties.
