Kasolli: Prime Minister candidates from PDK and LDK focused on the economy, Haradinaj on the military, Kurti on the North

Political analyst from Pristina, Afrim Kasolli, says that during the ongoing campaign, the prime ministerial candidates from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Bedri Hamza and Lumir Abdixhiku, have focused primarily on economic issues, while current Prime Minister Albin Kurti has concentrated on the topic of the North, and the AAK candidate for prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, considers the transformation of the KSF into a military force to be an important issue.

"Hamza mentions the fact that while he was a minister in the government under former Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, salaries were increased, and he uses this as a criterion to show that he is a leader who keeps his word. He believes he didn’t just make empty promises to deceive the citizens, but provided evidence that he is capable of fulfilling his promises to improve the lives, economic, and social conditions of the people of Kosovo," Kasolli told Kosovo Online.

He adds that Hamza and Abdixhiku hope to gain the support of citizens by promising improvements to living, economic, and social conditions, which is an unavoidable and important topic for the lives of Kosovo's citizens. They promise, Kasolli says, that if they win the election and form the future government, their focus will primarily be on improving the economy, investments, infrastructure, capital investments, and increasing salaries.

"As for Ramush Haradinaj, his disadvantage is that his term as prime minister was marked by salary increases for his political cabinet. This caused dissatisfaction among some citizens of Kosovo, creating the impression that political officials care more about their personal well-being than anything else. However, his achievements in the transformation of the KSF into the Kosovo Army cannot be denied, and he sees this as an important issue for the people of Kosovo in this electoral battle on February 9th," Kasolli says.

When it comes to the current Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Kasolli explains, he focuses on the issue of the North, portraying himself as the only leader capable of solving the main issue Kosovo faces regarding the North, considering several initiatives he has undertaken during his term, despite the tensions these caused with international allies. According to Kasolli, Kosovo is under international sanctions due to these initiatives and is in a "tight spot" in terms of Euro-Atlantic integration.