Joseph: Artificial crisis in Kosovo, it will worsen relations with the EU and Washington

Senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Foreign Policy Institute Edward Joseph said that Kosovo is not in a situation where it is difficult to form a government due to a close election result, but that because of the stubbornness of the leadership it now faces a new political crisis, which he believes will further worsen relations with Washington and the European Union.

Joseph expressed hope that the Constitutional Court of Kosovo will decide not to dissolve the Kosovo Assembly, but that the situation in Kosovo is certainly not good.

As he assessed for Kosovo Online, new elections are in no one’s interest.

“This is an unnecessary crisis and what we must hope for is that the Constitutional Court will rule that the Assembly has not been dissolved, that there is still one more opportunity for the Assembly to act before Kosovo has to go to new elections, which is in no one’s interest. This is not a standard political crisis in which you have a close election result and it is very difficult to form a government, so you have to go to new elections. This is a case where you have the full possibility of forming a government, but there is refusal and stubbornness by the leadership in Kosovo to understand that it simply has to continue with the election of the president,” he said.

According to him, there is a logical choice, which is for Vjosa Osmani to remain in the position of president of Kosovo.

“Has the president done anything to disqualify herself? That is the question, not whether you like Osmani or not. The question is whether Osmani has done anything to disqualify herself for a second term. And the answer is absolutely no. On the contrary, here in Washington we say that she is the president who has built the closest relationship with the Trump administration. So this is a very clear answer, and it relates to protecting Kosovo’s interests,” Joseph said.

Our interlocutor also believes that a new political stalemate could further strain relations between Pristina and Washington, as well as the European Union, because, as he adds, no one wants to see more chaos.

“Who needs to see more chaos? This is an artificial crisis, a crisis of ego and a lack of leadership, and it is not in Kosovo’s interest. President Osmani has built close relationships that are visible. I hosted her last year, she also met with senior American officials, and she maintained communication between Kosovo and the United States even after the strategic dialogue with Kosovo was suspended,” Joseph added.

He also stressed that new institutional uncertainty could weaken international support for Kosovo from the United States, the European Union, and NATO, noting that by creating artificial crises, Pristina is sending a bad signal.

“When you show that you are in a completely unnecessary, artificial constitutional crisis after a prolonged inability to form a government, what message are you sending? Are you sending a message that you are capable of being a full partner? No, this is only giving arguments to Kosovo’s opponents, including of course those in Serbia. This is a completely wrong and unnecessary signal. There is a very simple solution. If the Constitutional Court rules that the Assembly has not been fully dissolved and that elections do not yet have to be held, then the leadership should come together and support Osmani, if for no other reason than for Kosovo’s interests and to avoid a crisis,” Joseph said.

He added that it is clear that Albin Kurti, as prime minister and leader of the party with the most seats in parliament, has a key role. Regarding relations between Kurti and Osmani, Joseph said they are dynamic, but that now is the moment to focus exclusively on Kosovo’s interests.

“I know they are dynamic political personalities, regardless of how their relationship began. All political relationships are dynamic. Regardless of whether Kurti was politically above Osmani at the beginning and she later became politically independent, relationships in politics change. The point is what the president’s record is. That is the only question – and avoiding a crisis that harms the country. Whatever misunderstandings, bitterness or disagreements there may be between Kurti and Osmani, that is not important. What matters is what is in Kosovo’s interest, and that is for the president to remain in office,” Joseph said.