Summary of the Week 76

Between causes and consequences, between what was planned and what was achieved, another pre-election week has passed in Kosovo. Until October, expectations are being tallied; after that, consequences will be endured.

Living here or residing temporarily—it is all possible, officials say, but with certain rules and permits. The goal, they insist, is not What exactly is the cause of a phenomenon, what is the immediate trigger, is often not completely clear. What is certain, however, is that everyone faces the consequences of their behavior. Political analyst Shkelzen Maliqi comments on the messages sent to Kosovo from abroad this week.

“In the local elections, the influence of this general debate will probably show—whether this Government has been effective at all, and whether it has done anything other than damage relations with the whole world,” Maliqi says.

Without a plan to cause harm, but rather with the idea of uniting and offering equal rights to all—that is how the caretaker prime minister describes his actions and upcoming campaign.

“Certainly the dualism of the healthcare and education systems is not sustainable,” said Albin Kurti before a walk through North Mitrovica. “It is necessary to integrate and unite them,” he added.

It did not take long for this pre-election promise to be felt on the ground. Specifically, at the Clinical Center in North Mitrovica.

“Without our hospital and our education, my people, there is no survival for us here,” said the institution’s director, Dr. Zlatan Elek, a day after the Kosovo Police raid on the hospital.

The consequences of some decisions and regulations, paradoxically, can be seen in advance. Thus, based on regulations that will come into effect in November, a vehicle was seized already in September.

“They told me, ‘Do you know that as of today you can’t drive with authorization anymore?’ I said I didn’t know; if I had known, I wouldn’t have set off, because I heard it would come into force on November 1,” recounted Vladica Cirkovic from Gracanica about his conversation with customs officers and police. He added: “Today they took my car—tomorrow will they take my child, me, deport me? I don’t know what’s happening. I want to live on the territory of Kosovo,” Cirkovic said.

new complications for citizens, but better security.

“No one will have a problem if they’ve overstayed by a day or so,” explained Veton Elshani of the Kosovo Police. “What matters is that they enter the system and begin to integrate into the system,” said Elshani.

The consequences of not entering the system are clear to everyone. The consequences of mistakes in managing the system, this week, were assessed from different quarters. The harshest assessment came from America.

“Mr. Kurti is not doing his job and shows negative behavior not only toward the United States but also toward Kosovo,” said former ambassador Jonathan Moore.

Kosovo analysts spelled out the consequences.

“This has consequences in terms of the economy, in terms of diplomacy, and for the image of a state,” said the president of the Business Alliance, Agon Sahini.

Meanwhile, Albania did not worry about its image abroad this week. The results of months of work brought applause in Brussels—but also raised doubts at home. Can a painted minister fight real corruption? The answer will come in the weeks ahead...