Arifi: Kosovo must not have a fragile government that cannot meet international partners' demands

Political scientist Dritero Arifi stated that Kosovo does not need a "fragile" government in the current global geopolitical situation, as such leadership would not be able to fulfill all the demands of international partners.

"A single party, such as the Self-Determination Movement, with such a small and fragile coalition, will not be able to meet the demands that may come from international partners," Arifi told Radio Free Europe.

When asked about potential demands, Arifi assessed that the issue might no longer be solely about the formation of the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities.

"What if something more is required? How willing are we to adapt to these major global changes? Many demands could be made – we are not speculating too much, but let’s consider just one: what if a change of borders is requested? What are we prepared to do, and how would we handle it? The biggest problem is that society as a whole does not have an answer," Arifi said.

If the party that won the most votes fails to form a government within two weeks, the president is obliged to give the mandate to the next leading party or group.

For Arifi, even if this means a coalition between Kosovo’s three main Albanian parties – PDK, LDK, and AAK – the outlook remains bleak, as stability is not guaranteed.

What coalition could work?

Arifi believes that a coalition between the Self-Determination Movement and PDK would be the best option for Kosovo, as it could help resolve the crisis surrounding the presidency once Osmani’s mandate expires next year.

When asked about the likelihood of such a coalition working and how ideologically close these parties are, Arifi argued that no political entity in Kosovo has significant ideological differences, as they all share nearly the same political concept.

"If you just look at debates and speeches, everything in Kosovo revolves around the public sector and raising salaries. The political vision is very narrow. They don’t have many differences," the political scientist emphasized.

However, according to Arifi, a Self-Determination-PDK coalition could function if the parties focus on six or seven key priorities to achieve a "positive outcome for society and the state."