Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met with the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AFK) Ramush Haradinaj, with whom she exchanged views on recent political and security developments in the country.
As announced by the Office of the President of Kosovo, Osmani invited leaders of opposition parties in the Kosovo Assembly to a meeting as part of the ongoing interinstitutional coordination meetings.
The invitation of party leaders by President Osmani came in response to a request from the leader of AFK.
“The President initially invited opposition leaders to separate meetings, as some of the institution leaders were not in Kosovo these days. She also announced the invitation for a joint meeting of all leaders at a time when they are all in Kosovo,” the statement from the Office of the President of Kosovo said.
After the meeting with Osmani, AFK leader Haradinaj emphasized that they discussed “all the concerns we have”.
Haradinaj stressed that he has expressed to President Osmani concerns regarding the situation created after tensions in the northern part of the country, as well as “concern about the loss of trust from our partners and the difficulties we will have if we do not get out of this situation”.
“I asked the President to act in accordance with her mandate, with the competencies she has, to regain trust with our allies, to stop the punishments, to achieve de-escalation of the situation in the north, and to return to the achievements of the dialogue, the Brussel and Ohrid agreements,” said Haradinaj.
Leaders of the opposition parties (the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo) Memli Krasniqi and Lumir Abdixhiku, had previously stated that they accepted the invitations from President Osmani but declined to participate in the meeting.
The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, in a letter sent to President Osmani, expressed his refusal to participate in the meeting, telling the President that she has turned into a “supporter and certifier of the adventurous and irresponsible actions of the Prime Minister (Albin Kurti)”.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Lumir Abdixhiku wrote to President Osmani stating that what his party seeks and expects at this time is a “clear and critical position against the populism of the Prime Minister (Albin Kurti)”.
President Osmani expressed regret that other opposition parties “have refused the opportunity to contribute to issues of national interest, including efforts to strengthen strategic and existential alliances of the Republic of Kosovo with partners, especially the United States”.
According to President Osmani, “the contribution of each leader and political party is to collaborate on issues of national importance with state institutions, not by refusing”.
