The opposition Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, has accused Prime Minister Hashim Thaci of using public funds for campaign purposes.
Edona Peci
BIRN
Pristina
Isa Mustafa, head of the opposition LDK, has accused Prime Minister Thaci of “using public and state resources to campaign. This is illegal,” he said.
“He is putting the stability of the country at risk; similar actions by other politicians have led Greece, for example, into an economic crisis,” he said.
Thaci’s ruling party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, is certainly in campaign mode. The government recently hiked salaries for over 80,000 employees in the public sector by 25 to 50 per cent.
Last week, the Prime Minister signed a so-called “collective contract”, bolstering the rights of workers.
On Thursday, he visited the University Clinic Center in Pristina where he promised some 5.5 million euro to help children suffering from cancer and lymphoma.
Some experts fears that public money and state institutions are being used for party political and election purposes.
Behlul Beqaj, a political analyst, said Thaci was “using all possible methods just to stay in power”.
However, Beqaj also said the opposition had failed to come up with alternative policies.
“By acting as they are, [only criticizing] the opposition is making it easier for Thaci to continue his plans,” he added.
Mustafa of the LDK, meanwhile, said general elections ought to be held by June at the latest, as “the current government has lost its majority in parliament”.
He said a meeting between all parties in the country and the President, Atifete Jahjaga, should be held in coming weeks to discuss the subject.
Kosovo held local elections late last year, but the next general elections are not due until this spring or autumn.
The current government took office in January 2008 after the country went to the polls in November 2007.
