Publicist Enver Robelli argues in his opinion piece that “calls for rejecting the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities by organizing a referendum can only complicate the current situation in Kosovo. People will not vote in favor or against the Association, but will instinctively vote against Serbia – and why should they be judged for this bearing in mind the crimes that Serbia has committed in Kosovo since 1912. Kosovo is a representative and not a direct democracy; therefore, the political class of Kosovo should be able to take a position on this matter via an inter-Albanian dialogue”. Robelli writes that Prime Minister and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa deserves harsh criticism for his bad governance, his bitter reactions against all critics, his failures in managing the problems in Pristina, for not fighting or even allowing corruption in the municipality of Pristina, for failing to keep his promise that he would implement reforms in the LDK, and for lying to the public that he would never enter a coalition with the PDK. “However, those with a clear head know that the plan to send Hashim Thaci in the opposition failed also due to Ramush Haradinaj’s elephant-like ambitions, because he was adamant to take the post of Prime Minister despite being the leader of the fourth biggest political party in the country. This happened once, when Ibrahim Rugova reached ‘an agreement for peace’ with the AAK and its owner in order to end killings in the Dukagjini region between the Haradinaj clan and FARK structures”. Robelli writes that since then, Haradinaj has gone through difficult times because of suspected war crimes. He was released due to lack of evidence. “During the time he spent in prison, he should have matured not only politically but also as a human being. The images he offered Kosovo last Friday when he was supposedly giving alcohol to his friends in Parliament, are evidence to the cultural and political anti-model that he represents. Kosovo’s future does not look bright with such politicians”. Robelli further notes that the Democratic League of Kosovo too has played a poor role in the process of negotiations with Serbia. The LDK has blindly adopted all agreements believing that Hashim Thaci would burn out and will be forced with face the opposition. This is typical for the LDK: it does not assume responsibility on almost anything; it lacks staff that can handle difficult tasks, but does not hesitate to present itself as ‘a party of intellectuals’. This party cannot even manage the Facebook account of its leader. They are incompetent but they are not Serbia’s men or pro-Yugoslav … The LDK has made many mistakes, but in the post-war period it saved the country from civil war. Dozens of its activists were killed but it did not strike back despite the fact that it enjoyed the support of the majority of the population and won around 60 percent of election votes. It would have been honorable for the Vetevendosje Movement to adamantly call for the resolution of these murder cases”. According to Robelli, Kurti, Mustafa and Haradinaj are responsible for the grave situation, but that the biggest responsibility falls on Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader and First Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. “Only an irresponsible politician, like Thaci, who in order to remain in power was willing to make President of Kosovo an envoy of Moscow, can hold talks with Serbia without first reaching an agreement with the entire political class of Kosovo … Thaci entered this adventure [talks with Serbia] to score points in the eyes of internationals and to save his own skin, especially after the publication of Dick Marty’s dangerous report. He wants to keep gambling with Kosovo’s fate, even hoping that he will be elected President of Kosovo. If the ruling politicians showed the same interest in protecting Kosovo as they do in filling up their pockets from state funds, they would engage the best local government experts and follow the Croatian model: faced with international pressure, Croatia too allowed the formation of a consultative council for Serb municipalities along the border with Serbia. But this council did not lead to the dissolution of Croatia”. In closing, Robelli argues that it is the duty of Kosovo’s people and politicians that love the country to find a non-violent way out of the grave situation and to put an end to the negative trend. “Even a new political party for all those that have open or secret political ambitions. The association of Serb municipalities is a challenge for Kosovo, but not the most difficult. The most difficult task is building a functioning state that fights crime and corruption and that develops the economy. This requires politicians with healthy minds”.
