Gogic: Elections in Kosovo are certain, Kurti offered too little and too late to the opposition

Political scientist Ognjen Gogic stated that there is no chance of a turnaround and that Kosovo will not get a president by midnight, noting that everything Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti offered to the opposition was too little and came too late, and that it is now not in the opposition’s interest to reach a compromise with him.

“It would be strange for that (a turnaround) to happen. There is really no chance now because relations between the ruling majority and the opposition have been so damaged, especially after the attempt to vote for a president in an unconstitutional way,” Gogic told Kosovo Online.

Last night, despite the lack of a quorum, voting for presidential candidates took place at the session, and Gogic says this was done in order to reach a third round, when the president is elected by a simple majority.

“This created major outrage within the opposition, which immediately declared it a constitutional coup. That further deepened the gap between the parties. If they could not agree before, they will not be able to now. It seems that Kurti’s intention has been understood, which is to elect a president by any means necessary, and then buy additional time by having the opposition challenge the election before the Constitutional Court. That would only further delay the calling of elections,” Gogic said.

When it comes to elections, Gogic assesses that the question is not whether they will be held, but only when.

“Will they try to elect a president today, then have it challenged before the Constitutional Court to buy time? There, Self-Determination can claim that opposition MPs violated the Constitution by not voting at all and defend its policy and maneuver that way. But that can only further delay the moment of calling elections, nothing more,” Gogic said.

He points out that everything Kurti offered the opposition was too little and too late.

“He offered some parties to enter the government on their own, but that is not rational and not in their interest, because he could remove them from that same government after securing votes for the president,” Gogic said.

He adds that it is also not in the opposition’s interest to reach an agreement with Kurti now, because they could, in his view, achieve a better result in new early elections.

“They can very likely improve their result if elections are held again in June. Those parties have no interest in making a compromise for minor concessions from Kurti when they can go to elections, improve their result and negotiate from that position. At the same time, everyone is counting on Vjosa Osmani having returned to the opposition and becoming Kurti’s main rival, taking a significant number of votes from him,” Gogic concluded.