Pavkovic: A “national salvation” government increasingly realistic for Kosovo

Strategic Director at the Center for European Policies, Milos Pavkovic, stated that since February the possibility of forming a coalition of opposition parties in Kosovo to establish a “government of national salvation” has been “in play,” and that this option is becoming increasingly realistic as the political and constitutional crisis deepens. He noted, however, that it is unlikely Albanian parties will invite the Serb List to be part of such an arrangement, since that party has for years been “marginalized and targeted.”

“The topics of an ‘anti-Kurti platform’ were already being mentioned back in February, after the elections and preliminary results, when it became clear that the only way to remove Kurti would be through some broad platform of all other parties. Since then, seven or eight months have passed, and Kurti has been unable not only to form a government but even to constitute the Assembly, so such scenarios are once again back in circulation. In theory it is possible, but in practice it will depend on the willingness of opposition parties to cooperate, and so far, that willingness has not come to the surface,” Pavkovic told Kosovo Online.

Former Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and chief negotiator of Pristina’s team in dialogue with Belgrade, Edita Tahiri, called on opposition parties, following the US suspension of the strategic dialogue, to form a government of national unity in which Self-Determination Movement leader Albin Kurti would not hold any executive function.

“Such an outcome is becoming more relevant, and it will depend on the support of international actors for such a development, and of course on the willingness of opposition parties to cooperate,” Pavkovic said with confidence.

Although this possibility is still “far off,” the analyst stressed it is becoming a more realistic option.

“As time goes on and this crisis deepens, an ‘anti-Kurti coalition’ or a ‘national salvation coalition’ without him is being imposed as the only solution,” the analyst emphasized.

However, the question remains whether there would be a place for the Serb List in such a “solution.”

“The Serb List has, in recent years, been quite marginalized and targeted, because of Banjska and all other developments. It is extremely unpopular for any Albanian political party to establish cooperation with the Serb List, especially if it comes as part of a regime change,” Pavkovic said.

He predicts that Albanian parties will nevertheless try to form a new government without the Serb List.

“My prediction is that Albanian parties will try to gather enough votes to form a government without the Serb List, and SL might end up as an addition to that coalition. But it will not be the deciding factor in bringing down Kurti,” Pavkovic clarified.