Baraliu: The way out of the crisis is the acceptance of US and EU demands and new elections in the north

Professor of Constitutional Law from Pristina, Mazllum Baraliu, tells Kosovo Online that the demands set by the US and the EU for de-escalation of the situation in the north should be met, adding that holding new elections would be a way out of the current crisis.

"I think that the elections would be a way out of the crisis. We should go towards fulfilling the demands set by the international community, primarily in connection with the elections, because they believe that in this way the current situation would be calmed down and the dialogue would move forward. I think that yesterday the government considered the proposal of the Law for extraordinary elections in the north. If there is goodwill that the majority of Serbian voters in those municipalities participate, then it will be good and successful," Baraliu says.

He thinks that a new law should not be passed to organize new elections.

"The first way is for the newly elected mayors to agree to be relieved of their duties. There is also another way, and that is for 20 percent of the electorate of those municipalities to sign a petition that will be sent to the president of the assembly about dissatisfaction with the work of the mayor. Then that petition is forwarded to the Central election commission, and after that, to the president of Kosovo," Baraliu explains.

He adds that there are ways and possibilities, but, as he says, it is necessary to communicate more with people, to explain.

"I am referring to the government in Pristina as well as the opposition. Every party, regardless of whether it is small or big, has its representatives, who should communicate with the people and convince them that there is a way to move forward in solving the problem," Baraliu says.