Isa Mustafa to succeed Thaci?

PRISTINA -- Media speculate that part of the coalition agreement between Vetëvendosje and LDK is that Isa Mustafa should replace Hashim Thaci, taking over President's post

Isa Mustafa to succeed Thaci?

PRISTINA -- Media speculate that part of the coalition agreement between Vetëvendosje and LDK is that Isa Mustafa should replace Hashim Thaci, taking over President's post

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Ilustracija: EPA-EFE/ Kushtrim Ternava

Official results of early parliamentary elections in Kosovo have not yet been announced, with two leading parties, the Vetëvendosje and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), not yet agreed on key positions in the future government, with media claiming that part of the coalition agreement is that Isa Mustafa should replace Hashim Thaci.

According to Gazeta Metro, and earlier today also Gazeta Express, Mustafa is seeking to be elected president of the so-called Kosovo in 2021, and that it is part of the LDK agreement on a ruling coalition with Vetëvendosje.

It is recalled that Mustafa himself recently said in a statement to "Klan Kosova" that he wants to be elected president and to end his political career with that post.

The Vetëvendosje neither confirmed nor denied this information, adding that only Albin Kurti could have the answer to this question. The secretary of the movement Besnik Bislimi said that Kurti was solely authorized to make decisions regarding the coalition agreement.

"That question should be posed to Mr. Kurti, not to the technical groups or to Mr. (Lutvi) Haziri (LDK)", Bislimi said.

Gazeta Metro writes that it was Haziri, who joined the LDK task force to adjust the future government's program with Vetëvendosje, who raised this issue.

It is underlined that Haziri raised the issue as a problem for the LDK in discussions with the Vetëvendosje, adding that the issue of the future president of the so-called Kosovo needs to be resolved now, so that it does not stand in the way when it comes to order in a year time.

Haziri wants to prevent any potential situation that once happened when the president of the so-called Kosovo was "drawn from the hat", with Atifete Jahjaga's name on it.

"In order for the coalition agreement to be functional, all positions must be clarified. If we do not clarify the position of the president now, we announce the crisis to take place in 2021. Isa Mustafa fulfills all the conditions to be President of Kosovo", Haziri said.

This position, according to the coalition agreement, should belong to the LDK, as they reportedly abandoned the idea of Vjosa Osmani taking up the position of prime minister in the new government.

Gazeta Metro recalls that Kurti did not always have nice words for Mustafa, who was Prime Minister in the previous government. He called him, the rumor has it, "a Serbian soldier", a "coward," a "Thaci subordinate," and attacked his house with a Molotov cocktail.

Finally, Gazeta Metro recalls that on February 6, 2016, Thaci was named President of Kosovo when he was elected by the votes of the LDK, and the vote was held in an atmosphere of great tensions, while the parliamentary session was interrupted twice, by throwing tear gas and by the protests of the members of Vetëvendosje on the streets.