Eight MPs from non-majority communities are ready to vote for the formation of new institutions, says Bosniak community-elected MP Emilija Rexhepi. She emphasizes that they have no conditions for the constitution of the Assembly, the formation of the government, or the election of a new president.
Rexhepi told KosovaPress that two days ago there was a meeting of MPs from various communities to discuss forming a multi-ethnic parliamentary group. However, according to her, the group does not include Egyptian community-elected MP Veton Berisha and Bosniak community-elected MP Duda Balje. The two had not voted for the Kurti 3 government in the ninth legislature.
KosovaPress reached out to Berisha and Balje, but they were unavailable.
Rexhepi, who is currently also Deputy Speaker of the Assembly in the ninth legislature, says the multi-ethnic parliamentary group will include herself and Rasim Demiri as MPs from the Bosniak community, Ergul Mazrek and Fatma Taçi as MPs from the Turkish community, Artan Asllani from the Ashkali community, Elbert Krasniqi from the Egyptian community, Nenad Rashiq from the Serbian community, and Erxhan Galushi from the Roma community.
“We had a joint dinner with the different communities to continue working and form the multi-ethnic group, as we did in the previous mandate. We are waiting for the constitution of the Assembly, the government vote, and the election of the president… We will vote for the Kurti 3 government. For us, it is important to vote on the parliament, the ratification of international agreements, the budget, and then the president… Our community does not have conditions; we are for equality, establishing institutions, and not their stagnation,” she says.
She is categorically against including Bosniak community MP Duda Balje in the multi-ethnic parliamentary group. On the other hand, Rexhepi is open to including Egyptian community-elected MP Veton Berisha in the group.
“We, the eight MPs from the previous mandate, agreed to continue working together, but we will see the situation in the future. So far, we are eight MPs, and we will continue as such… For Duda Balje, no… As a group, we are two MPs from the Bosniak community, myself and Rasim Demiri, two MPs from the Turkish community, one Serbian MP, one Ashkali MP, one Egyptian MP, and one Roma MP from Prizren, and we continue as we have until now,” Rexhepi emphasized.
Political analyst Blerim Canaj considers the support of these non-majority community MPs for the Kurti 3 government to be expected.
According to him, they had also supported Kurti in the previous legislature when he did not have enough votes for the government.
He is skeptical that LVV, as the winner of the December 28 elections, will include MPs Veton Berisha and Duda Balje in the governing coalition, as they did not vote for Kurti’s proposed government a few months ago.
“Every politician has their own calculations and goals, as I said. We know what Duda Balje requested, which perhaps was beyond her ability to obtain and possibly even beyond the government’s ability to offer, whoever would have led that government. Naturally, this can create a cooling-off, maybe even between groups or individuals. Now it could be a message for Duda Balje, in the sense that in the end it is up to Lëvizja Vetëvendosje with whom they partner and with whom they want to move processes forward, if they have interest in moving processes forward. Ultimately, it’s a matter of cooperation, and Duda Balje simply needs to aim for cooperation if she has intentions. But to demand a municipality or a ministry with a single vote is a bit excessive,” Canaj emphasized.
On the other hand, Bosniak community-elected MP Emilija Rexhepi says they have not yet discussed government posts with LVV leader Albin Kurti.
Rexhepi held the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the Kurti 2 government.
“The point was only to agree to be a group, as we have been, with full seriousness for all communities and to continue working in the Assembly. Then each of us will speak individually with the Prime Minister about the government,” Rexhepi added.
The Central Election Commission announced the final results of the December 28 elections last week. Based on these results, Lëvizja Vetëvendosje won the elections with over 51% of the vote.
Seats in the Assembly of Kosovo from non-majority communities were also won by the Serbian List with nine seats, and one seat was won by Goran community MP Adem Hoxha.
