Selatin Kllokoqi, an analyst from Pristina for Danas
Possible compromise with the Serbian community
Pristina, Belgrade – It is necessary to change the constitution in order to form the Kosovo armed forces, which must be adopted by a two-thirds majority in parliament, including two-thirds majority of minority communities.
Whether this is feasible, is the subject of political bargaining and compromise between the Serbian community and the rest of the parliament. It is possible that a compromise could involve extending the principle of “reserved seats” for another term in exchange for the establishment of the armed forces, explained in an interview to Danas Selatin Kllokoqi, an analyst at the Pristina Institute D4D (Democracy for Development), referring to the possibility of establishing Army of Kosovo, which Belgrade is strongly opposing.
Kllokoqi said that the draft law on general elections, that the Kosovo Assembly has recently adopted, in principle provides “superficial changes that are mainly related to the electoral process,” and that there is no substantive electoral reform, despite the demands of civil society and parliamentary resolutions from 2011.
“The proposed draft law does not affect directly the rights of minority communities in Kosovo, including Serbian. What at this point is in dispute is the principle of reserved seats for minority communities, which is regulated by the Constitution of Kosovo. The Constitution provides the principle of reserved seats to be applied for two consecutive terms of Parliament, and then to become guaranteed seats. The proposed changes to the electoral law does not imply a change in the Constitution, which means that the reserved seats are automatically guaranteed, and in that case the Serbian community will have 10 guaranteed seats in parliament. Minority communities request the principle of reserved seats to be extended for one or two terms, which suggests that even they agree that subsequently reserved seats become guaranteed seats,” said Kllokoqi.
Commenting the statement of Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic on the possibility that the Serbian parliament adopts a new resolution on Kosovo, Kllokoqi pointed out that if Nikolić’s idea is to adopt resolution such those from the past, “the importance of the document would be very problematic and limited to the Serbian negotiating team, while would not have a direct influence on Kosovo or the international community.”
Brussels dialogue
Selatin Kllokoqi believes that the next stage of the Brussels negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina should first resolve the outstanding issues and implement previously agreed. “I think that both governments in a political sense should not allow themselves opening of new topics until issues, which were open more than a year ago, are not finalized,” stated Kllokoqi.
