Tomorrow, Kosovo holds parliamentary elections

2025-02-08 20:04:04, Kosova & Bota CNA

Around 2 million citizens with the right to vote will be able to elect 120 lawmakers from 27 political parties in the parliamentary elections, the ninth in a row since the end of the 1998-1999 war that ended with NATO intervention.

Sunday's elections are widely seen as a test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose party won by a landslide in 2021 and is seeking another term.

Throughout the campaign, parties made big promises to increase wages and pensions, improve education and health services, and fight poverty, pledges that often seem difficult to fulfill in the poorest country in Europe.

Analyst Ilir Ibrahimi says that the economy is finally being given the proper space.

"They are ambitious programs of the opposition parties, because the ruling party did not have any program, it had some commitments that Mr. Kurti made public. They are ambitious but not unattainable. What pleased me the most during the discussions with the opposition parties is that they invited us to discuss, that is, they invited us as the private sector to present their economic program and we discussed it. They see the realization of these economic promises in a close cooperation and partnership with the private sector, which should be done by every government. The private sector cannot be seen as an enemy because the private sector is the largest contributor to the state, to the state budget, employment and everything else," said analyst Ibrahimi.

Sunday's vote will determine who will lead Kosovo in stalled talks to normalize relations with Serbia. The United States and the European Union have urged both sides to implement an agreement reached nearly two years ago under which Kosovo should establish an Association of Serb-majority Municipalities, while Belgrade should recognize Kosovo's 'de facto' independence.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has been criticized by Western powers for his government's actions in the north of the Serb-majority country. The European Union has continued to maintain punitive measures against Kosovo. The issue of Kosovo's relations with the United States has become a topic of discussion these days after two posts on the social network X by President Trump's envoy for special missions Richard Grenell, who in the first administration was the special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. According to him, relations are at their lowest point, although the Kosovo government insists that they are very good.

"For four years in a row, we have had statements from the American administration that ended its mandate, the Biden administration, that relations between Kosovo and the United States are not at their highest level and have even criticized them for being at their lowest level. Now the new administration has made this even clearer and more directly, and if there is no change in approach towards the United States, the consequences will be greater, because we are dealing with a different administration. So the Trump administration will not be an administration that will flatter Kosovar leaders, but will demand from them, and if it does not demand and if it does not expect what it demands from them, then I do not see that there will be relations in the full sense of the word with the United States. I am afraid that the relations we have had so far will not be able to exist with a government that does not see America as a partner and set its policies in accordance with American interests. "So, I do not rule out the possibility of the complete withdrawal of American interest, including the presence of security, that is, American soldiers," said analyst Ibrahimi.

Election observers from the "Democracy in Action" coalition of non-governmental organizations said on Saturday that the campaign for Sunday's elections was marked by significant instances of hate speech.

"Not counting the activities held today, in a full 130 activities, or about a fifth of the public gatherings organized, cases of inciting, hateful or offensive language have been reported," said Eugen Cakolli from DnV.

A team of 100 observers from the European Union, 18 from the Council of Europe and dozens more from international organizations will monitor Sunday's vote. Analysts say whichever government emerges will face tough challenges amid geopolitical developments that have made the world increasingly unpredictable./ VOA