Op-ed by Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli.
In the year we are leaving behind, we lost too much time pointing fingers at one another for problems and issues that are a joint responsibility of the whole political landscape. Regrettably, the whole political discourse was dominated by an absurd race of negative criticism. The public and the citizens, rightfully felt tired by the daily spectacle of accusations between parties and the sense that political consensus is hopeless. This sentiment was removed recently when the Kosovo Assembly unanimously adopted three laws for the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into the Kosovo Army. The decision-making process for the Army is proof that Kosovo’s political landscape has the required strength to give a chance to internal consensus on matters of national interest, if personal egos are set aside. In this spirit was launched the parliamentary initiative for the PSD-sponsored Resolution that led to the creation of a state delegation that will represent Kosovo in the dialogue with Serbia. The delegation will be co-chaired by a representative of the ruling coalition, a representative from the PSD and it was planned to be all-inclusive, based on the positive practice we have built since Rambouillet and until the Declaration of Independence. The PSD, as an opposition party, finally managed to put national interests over close party wishes. I believed that in the end the other two opposition parties – LDK and Vetevendosje – would follow suit, thinking that all conditions are ripe to do what we have been elected to do: serve together for the good of our country. Based on this, I have called a meeting in the Kosovo Assembly this Wednesday, between the President, Prime Minister, the negotiating team, and representatives of parliamentary groups from opposition parties that are not yet represented in the negotiating team – LDK and VV – to coordinate on dialogue. The only motive behind this is to help build internal political cohesion on issues related to dialogue with Serbia, and I chose the Kosovo Assembly, as the most appropriate institution for this purpose. I felt a somewhat disappointed, but not surprised, when I learned that LDK and Vetevendosje, seemingly in response to my invitation, called an extraordinary session [of the Assembly] on the very same day, Wednesday. The session is supposed to discuss the draft agreement proposed by the Kosovo Government on dialogue with Serbia. The LDK had acted the same way when I made the invitation for a joint roundtable of political parties, eight months ago. I calmly accepted their refusal to take part on a joint platform for dialogue, believing that they would slowly understand the necessity of coming aboard. With this in mind, I accepted their invitation to a roundtable of political parties, even though it was clear that their only intention was to balance initiatives, a completely comical and spiteful goal. The LDK is finding it impossible to relieve itself from a policy of spite and in doing so it is damaging both the country and itself. The initiative they have launched with Vetevendosje for an extraordinary session is their right and they can exercise it whenever they meet the requirements. But what are going to accomplish with this session? If they want to continue boycott and irresponsibility, they will certainly accomplish that! But will they stop Serbia and the former spokesman of Milosevic and current Serbian President, to profit from this in the eyes of our Western partners, with their readiness for dialogue?! It’s hard to say, but yes! One thing is certain: over the last three decades, Serbia has lost every time it refused to engage in dialogue with us! Now, do we want to make the same mistake they have made? I don’t know if the opposition, the LDK in particular, understands the damage it is inflicting on the country! The extraordinary session they have called is in essence a theatrical play of manipulating the people, with a scenario in which they claim that the ruling coalition “wants to divide Kosovo” and that they [the opposition] are “the saviors”. Isa, Avdullah, Albin and Glauk have taken on the “sacred role” of rescuing Kosovo from the President, Assembly President, Prime Minister, Mr. Limaj, Mr. Ahmeti and the others.
