PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) – The leftist opposition leader who is about to become Kosovo’s next prime minister said on Monday that he would pressure his country to join the European Union, but also asked the bloc to provide a package economic aid to help facilitate the path for the Western Balkan states to join
Albin Kurti’s Self-Determination Movement Party, or Vetevendosje!, Won a clear victory with 48% of the votes in Sunday’s elections held in the midst of the pandemic, an economic crisis and stalled negotiations with wartime enemy Serbia. About 99% of the votes were counted on Monday.
The center-right Democratic Party of Kosovo, or PDK, came in second, with 17%, and the Democratic League of Kosovo, or LDK, of the conservative government, obtained 13% of the votes.
Participation was 47%, or 2.5% higher than in the 2019 election, according to the Central Election Commission.
Kurti faces the challenges of reviving the poor country’s economy and reducing unemployment, as well as fighting the pandemic, organized crime and corruption.
He hopes to secure the 61 votes required in the 120-seat parliament to rule alone or to cooperate with non-Serbian minority lawmakers to form his cabinet. He made it clear that there would be no coalition with the PDK and LDK parties.
Kosovo’s Serbian minority has 10 seats in parliament and 10 other seats belong to other minorities.
In an interview with the Associated Press on Monday, Kurti urged the European Union to apply what he called a mini-marshal plan – alluding to the post-World War II reconstruction plan for Europe – for six Balkan countries Westerners hoping to join the 27-nation bloc.
These countries are Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The Six of the Western Balkans have the EU as the most important partner. But, on the other hand, history teaches us that (the) Balkans are also (very) important for Europe, ”said Kurti.
Negotiations on normalizing ties with Serbia, which stalled again last year after negotiations brokered by the US and the EU, did not figure high on the winning party’s agenda. Kurti said that forming a negotiating team for dialogue would not be a priority.
“To move forward, we need to establish clear principles for dialogue and (an) honest and serious approach, putting the demands of Kosovo and Serbia together,” he said.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and enlargement commissioner Oliver Varhelyi urged Kosovo to soon form the new parliament and government, elect the president and promote reforms, promising continued support from Brussels.
“Kosovo’s European path also involves comprehensive normalization of relations with Serbia,” the statement said.
Kosovo signed a stabilization agreement with the EU, the first step towards accession.
Kurti said his government would apply for candidate status and regretted that Brussels has not yet allowed visa-free travel for Kosovars seeking to enter the EU.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a decade after the brutal 1998-1999 war between ethnic Albanian separatist rebels and Serbian forces. The war ended after a 78-day NATO air campaign expelled Serbian troops and a peacekeeping force.
Most western nations recognized Kosovo, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China did not. Tensions over Kosovo remain a source of volatility in the Balkans.
Two months after taking their seats, Kosovo lawmakers are expected to elect the country’s president. If no candidate is elected after three rounds of voting, the country may be forced to hold another early parliamentary election.