Baraliu: A government of national unity is the best solution for Kosovo, but it will not happen

University professor from Pristina, Mazllum Baraliu, stated that a government of national unity, which would include all parliamentary parties, would be a good solution for leading a unified domestic and foreign policy of Kosovo. However, he added that this will not happen because the Self-Determination Movement does not have enough votes, and the opposition is unable to unite.

“It would be good if, after the elections, a government was formed by all political parties that have deputies in the Assembly. That would mean stability for the country, but also the ability to achieve unity when it comes to the election of the president, since a two-thirds majority is needed. Naturally, it would also mean unified decisions in both foreign and domestic policy. But that hasn’t happened, and it won’t happen,” Baraliu told Kosovo Online.

He explained that the reason lies in the fact that neither the Self-Determination Movement nor the opposition parties can reach a majority in parliament.

“The opposition is not united enough to form a government on their own, although they could, since they have 62 deputies. But they are not, they don’t want to be united. Also, the Self-Determination coalition doesn’t have the numbers. So we are stuck in a stalemate,” Baraliu specified.

The idea of a government of national unity is not new, and recently former Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and chief negotiator of Pristina’s team in dialogue with Belgrade, Edita Tahiri, called for such a possibility.

She assessed that such a government, without Albin Kurti in any executive function, is necessary because of the suspension of the strategic dialogue and the tense relations between Kosovo and the United States.

Baraliu, however, said that Tahiri is not a “figure who can influence that, much less decide on it.”

“She proved herself while in power and made a lot of mistakes, both her government and she personally, in the strategic dialogue, in Brussels, and in some foreign policy matters,” Baraliu noted.