Rapajic: PDK will again be in second place, Osmani’s return will not significantly benefit the LDK

Program director of the NGO Center for Advocacy of Democratic Culture in North Mitrovica, Aleksandar Rapajic, believes that the June 7 elections will not bring major changes in Kosovo and that Vjosa Osmani’s return to the LDK will not significantly contribute to that party.

He states that Osmani’s return to the LDK has caused considerable dissatisfaction, especially among some senior officials.

“Not everyone is happy that she has returned. I do not believe her influence is great. The LDK will probably receive slightly more votes in these elections than in the December elections, but that is mostly related to the election date, which last time was very close to New Year, which is why I think many LDK voters did not vote then. These elections will be more similar in result to the February ones than the December ones, which means the LDK will perform better, and I believe the PDK will also be slightly better,” Rapajic assesses in a statement for Kosovo Online.

According to him, the final outcome will be influenced by voter dissatisfaction, which is significant, and turnout, which he believes will be lower.

“Who that will benefit and who it will not, we will see. I think the PDK will benefit the most because their electorate is quite organized. The winner will probably be Self-Determination, the only question is with what percentage. I believe the PDK will again be in second place, although the LDK will gain some additional votes, but not many. And we will again reach a situation where Self-Determination cannot elect the president without the opposition, and the opposition also cannot elect the president without Self-Determination. There is no willingness for them to reach an agreement,” our interlocutor believes.

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo is, as he adds, at risk of not passing the electoral threshold on June 7.

“The problem is what Ramush’s party will do, because last time it was also on the edge, just above the threshold. They are at risk of not passing the threshold this time, especially because there is voter dissatisfaction and turnout will probably be lower,” Rapajic assesses.

When asked how a possible reconfiguration of the political scene would affect the formation of institutions, he says that Self-Determination, if it wants, can form a government and elect the president, but the question is whether the party wants that.

“I think it suits Kurti to be in a technical mandate situation and for elections to keep repeating. In that way he governs without responsibility. And I am afraid that even after these elections the situation will be the same and that Self-Determination will again try to blame the opposition for the failure to form institutions,” he concludes.