Pavkovic: Haradinaj left open the possibility that he could be a candidate for President of Kosovo

The Director of Strategy at the Center for European Policies in Belgrade, Milos Pavkovic, believes that the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, with a new leader, will have time to consolidate until the next elections, while the party’s former president, Ramush Haradinaj, by his sudden resignation, has left room for the possibility that he could be a candidate for President of Kosovo.

“As for the future, it will be a party in opposition with six percent and a limited number of mandates, but it seems to me that, given that there will almost certainly be no new elections soon since the government has just been elected, the party, under its new leader, will have time to consolidate”, Pavkovic told Kosovo Online.

As he emphasizes, the electoral result of AAK is not so bad compared to PDK and LDK.

“AAK won nearly six percent in the December elections, even though Fatmir Limaj left them, that is a relatively good result considering their previous results”, he said.

As he added, the question arises as to why Haradinaj decided at this moment to resign from the position of party president.

“Although we have no announcements, and although he denied that he is negotiating over the position of president, Haradinaj has left room for that to happen if an offer comes. On the other hand, it seems to me that Kurti in some way owes a favor to Vjosa Osmani, who with her actions brought him the edge in the December elections. Time will tell, but it seems to me that such a sudden withdrawal from politics is not characteristic of politicians in the Balkans, and that Haradinaj has left open the possibility of some additional engagement on his part”, Pavkovic stated.

Regarding Haradinaj’s candidacy, Pavkovic adds, Prime Minister Albin Kurti will decide.

“It is difficult at this moment to predict whether and how he will run. The president is elected in the Kosovo Parliament. He can be nominated by a group of MPs, not by himself, but that will depend primarily on Kurti’s assessment of how he stands regarding the election of Vjosa Osmani. He will assess whether it might be better to go with Haradinaj, or perhaps with a third candidate”, Pavkovic concluded.